Voters in Morang-2 Express Deep Discontent with Political Establishment Ahead of By-Election

Biratnagar. Ratuwamai Municipality Ward No. 5 falls under Morang Constituency Number 2. The discussion about the House of Representatives election scheduled for February 21st is inevitable here. This is because the voters in this area have elected Girija Prasad Koirala multiple times previously. Politically, this constituency is also the home district of the late people's leader of the Congress and UML, Madan Bhandari.

Upon reaching Gobindapur Chowk, some elderly citizens were engaged in political discussions at a local tea stall. The experiences shared by 82-year-old Jiban Chapagain, wearing a Dhaka topi and a pink striped shirt, clearly show that dissatisfaction with the current political situation is at its peak.

Chapagain, who has passed eight decades of his life, has experienced many political changes in the country. However, seeing the current state, he sounded very hurt and angry. Chapagain stated that honesty is fading away in the country.

“Currently, 70 percent of politics is filled with looters; not just leaders, but the police, army, and judges are all in collusion. Even if someone close to the Prime Minister commits corruption worth millions, they get acquitted,” he said. “India has a population of 300 million in Uttar Pradesh (UP), and they have one Chief Minister. Here, the population is not even 30 million, why do we need 7 Chief Ministers? The place where we used to pay land revenue of 5 rupees has now reached 11 thousand. This is all to sustain the well-dressed leaders and ministers.”

He also has his own perspective on Nepal's geo-politics. Although Nepal has been called a 'tarul between two stones' (a piece of wood between two stones), his understanding is that the situation has changed now.

“Now, not only India and China, but America is also trying to enter here. India wants a route, China wants security, and America wants its stronghold. Our leaders are not nationalists; they have become businessmen. Who knows where they are taking the country for the sake of their position and money,” he added. 

Chapagain has major grievances against the traditional parties, but he is not overly trusting of the new ones either. “We have elected these same faces for years, but the bridge in Ratuwa hasn't been built, the roads remain the same. Now the son and grandson generation has started saying 'Ghanti' (Bell symbol) and Balen'. Balen is also caught in a labyrinth.”

Hari Bahadur Khadka, 83, from Ratuwamai 6, which falls in the same constituency, has a long history of experience. He recounts some experiences from the first election in 2015 BS. He says he has seen Matrika Prasad Koirala, B.P. Koirala, and Girija Prasad Koirala. Now, after his children have moved away, he lives alone raising cows.

“I live alone raising cows; my wife passed away 18-19 years ago. Some sons are in Kathmandu, some are abroad. I serve the cows, drink milk, and come to the market for tea. I don't listen to anyone; I do what my heart tells me,” he began. “We haven't left the Koirala family since Matrika Prasad Koirala. Votes were cast for Girija Prasad, Amod Upadhyaya—it seems Congress is in my blood.”

However, he says the current situation is different. “Before, people listened to what one person said, but now no one listens to anyone else. They just pretend to listen for a moment, but ultimately do what they want. People nowadays are not like they used to be,” he said. “It would be good if someone new came now. There is talk of Balen and the Bell symbol. We have seen what the old ones have done after being Prime Minister 5-6 times, what more could they do? Whatever happens, let's give a chance to someone new this time. We must look at someone new once.”

He pointed to the attack on former Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife during the Janajeevan movement, stating they still haven't learned their lesson. “Deuba has been Prime Minister 5-6 times. Just the other day, he was beaten until he bled from the mouth, yet he still wants to be Prime Minister? How many times do they need to be satisfied?” he expressed his anger.

There is no bridge over the Katnu Khola connecting Wards 5 and 6 of Ratuwamai Municipality, but the pillars for the bridge stand erect. The steel rods in the pillars, which have been neglected for the past seven years, are already rusting. Showing the bridge pillars, 66-year-old Govinda Prasad Khanal says, “It has been 5-7 years since they started building this bridge. Initially, there was an old bridge, which collapsed in the middle after being hit by a truck. Then they laid the pillars for this new one and left it. Leaders come, say the bridge will be built, but the condition of the bridge remains the same.”

He mentioned that he knows an election is happening, but no one has asked for his vote yet. He noted that everyone in the village is talking about changing their vote.

Some people gathered at a tea stall in Sotha Bazaar, Ratuwamai-6, are also discussing the status of various parties in the election. Elderly people who have passed seven or eight decades of their lives were also active in the conversation.

Laxmi Prasad Ghimire, 79, from Ratuwamai-6, said he would vote for someone new, when a middle-aged youth asked what would happen if the old guard won. Replying, Ghimire looked at him warningly and walked away. Most of those who previously voted for Congress, the then Maoists, and UML stated they would change their vote.

Mohan Prasad Das, a local teacher, analyzes that he has heard many people talking about new faces in this election. “The people only want development. Development means roads, irrigation, electricity, and most importantly, employment. If there were employment opportunities in the country, why would our sons and daughters go abroad?” he said.

Karna Bahadur Basnet, 77, from Ratuwamai-6, says, “I have experienced everything from the Jhapa Rebellion until now. But now, leaders have only become tools for earning money. No one thinks about the country. We thought KP Oli would do well, but what did he achieve? Now I wish to look at someone new.”

There is an electric machine repair center at Sunbarshee Dayaniya Chowk. Bechan Lal Godi and Rajesh Kumar are sitting watching machines being repaired. Sukya Das, the shop owner working there, is sitting in front of the shop with a flag placed. When asked, “You've put up a flag?” he replied, “Everyone comes and puts one up. Whoever puts up the flag, I will vote according to my own will.”

The common sentiment among most of the people interviewed is, “We need change now.” Some, even if they were cadres of old parties, say that their children and grandchildren are pressuring them to change their votes.

History of Morang 2

In the 2074 BS House of Representatives election, Congress nominated Dr. Minendra Rijal from Morang Constituency No. 2. Amidst the dominance of the then Left Alliance, Rijal defeated UML candidate Rishikesh Pokharel.

In the 2079 BS House of Representatives election, the situation reversed. Then Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba did not allow Rijal to contest and gave the ticket to Sujata, daughter of Girija Prasad Koirala. At that time, Koirala was supported by parties including the Maoists. In that election, Koirala was defeated by UML's Rishikesh Pokharel. In the upcoming House of Representatives election on February 21st, both Rishikesh and Sujata have left the field in Morang-2.

The CPN-UML has fielded Dilip Bagadia, the outgoing Mayor of Rangeli, while Rijal is again the candidate for Congress. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has nominated Krishna Karki, the CPN (Maoist Centre) has nominated Chandra Bir Rai, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has nominated Kansa Raj Rajbanshi from this area. 

Morang-2 (formerly Constituency No. 1) is the area where former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala won continuously three times from 2048 BS to 2056 BS. In the 2064 BS Constituent Assembly election, even when there was a wave for the then Maoists across the country, Congress candidate Amod Prasad Upadhyaya won in Morang-1. In 2064 BS, he was the only candidate from Congress to win a seat in the House of Representatives in Morang.

In the 2079 BS election, UML's Rishikesh won with 33,148 votes, while Sujata received 31,940 votes. RSP candidate Thagendra Neupane received 4,987 votes at that time.

Constituency Number 2, which comprises Wards 1, 2, and 3 of Kanepokhari Rural Municipality, Wards 5 and 6 of Pathari Shanishchare Municipality, Wards 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9 of Rangeli Municipality, all 10 wards of Ratuwamai Municipality, and all 9 wards of Sunbarshee Municipality, saw UML receive 31,340 votes at the ward level in the 2079 BS local elections, while Congress received 28,614 votes. This constituency currently has 129,184 registered voters.