Terai-Madhes Focused Parties Field Candidates in Kathmandu Valley Elections Despite Limited Local Influence

Kathmandu. Terai-Madhes-centric parties have demonstrated their presence in the Kathmandu Valley elections this time as well. The Kathmandu Valley, comprising three districts, has 15 constituencies. The Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal (JSP Nepal), Rastriya Mukti Party (RMP), and Aam Janata Party (AJP) have fielded candidates in all 15 constituencies of the valley. Although these parties claim to have organizations nationwide, their influence is primarily concentrated in the Terai-Madhes region.

In the election scheduled for Falgun 21, Prakash Nayaju from JSP Nepal and Indra Prasad Shrestha from Rastriya Mukti Party are candidates for Kathmandu-1. For Constituency No. 2, Narmada Kumari Bhattarai is the candidate from RMP and Tilak Bahadur Magar from AJP. In Constituency No. 3, Pranildhwaj Karki is from JSP Nepal and Rupasagar Devi from AJP. In Constituency No. 5, Danindra Joshi is from JSP Nepal and Komal Paudel from AJP Nepal are in the fray.

Similarly, in Constituency No. 6, Indira Thapa is the candidate from RMP Nepal and Safalta Bogati from AJP Nepal. In Constituency No. 7, Baburam Lama is from JSP Nepal, Bibhinna Pant from RMP, and Pradip Bhattarai from AJP Nepal are candidates.

In Constituency No. 8, Sarojraj Vaidya is from JSP Nepal, Muktinath Sharma from RMP, and Khages Ranjitkar from AJP are the candidates. In Constituency No. 9, Ranvir Chhetri Singh is from JSP Nepal, Madan Dangol from RMP, and Iras Shrestha from AJP Nepal. Bhagarit Sah is the candidate from JSP Nepal in Constituency No. 10.

In Bhaktapur Constituency No. 1, Shyam Sundar Shilpakar is the candidate from JSP Nepal and Devendra Thakur from AJP. In Constituency No. 2, Nabin Shrestha is from JSP Nepal and Devkumari Sah from AJP are the candidates.

Likewise, in Lalitpur Constituency No. 1, Mahabir Syangtan Tamang is the candidate from JSP Nepal and Kiran Maharjan from AJP. In Constituency No. 2, Rohini Kasti is from JSP Nepal and Lakhendra Kumar Sah from AJP are the candidates. In Constituency No. 3, Krishnadevi Maharjan has filed her candidacy from JSP Nepal.

• Janmat Party Abstains from Candidacy

This time, Dr. CK Raut-led Janmat Party has not fielded any candidates across the Kathmandu Valley. In the last election, the party had nominated four candidates from this region. Chandan Singh, General Secretary of the Janmat Party, stated, 'We were preparing to contest. We have an organization in the valley, but since we saw that we wouldn't get the expected votes, we did not field candidates.'

According to him, the party concluded that it would not receive votes in Kathmandu as Janmat Party's base area is Madhes. 'We decided to focus on the Terai-Madhes rather than wasting time and money fielding candidates unnecessarily,' he said.

In the previous election, Harendra Chaudhary of the Janmat Party received 22 votes from Kathmandu-1. Similarly, Govinda Nepal received 34 votes from Constituency No. 3, Shantabahadur Shakya received 90 votes from Constituency No. 8, and Ganesh Prasad Poudasain received 164 votes from Constituency No. 2.

'We respect these votes, but this geography is not conducive for a party fighting for federalism, republicanism, and inclusive identity,' he said.

Last year, the then Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal (LSP Nepal) led by Mahantha Thakur had also contested. This time, that party has merged with JSP Nepal. Last year, the Nagarik Unmukti Party had also fielded candidates, but this time it has supported RMP Nepal. The Janata Pragatisheel Party led by Hridayesh Tripathi, which contested one seat last year, has also been absorbed into JSP Nepal.

The Nepal Federal Socialist Party led by Mohammad Rizwan Ansari has also not fielded candidates from the Kathmandu Valley this time.

Even while contesting, JSP Nepal has shown less enthusiasm for the Kathmandu Valley compared to the past. It is analyzed that the party's presence has weakened after Rajendra Shrestha and Bidyut Bajracharya, who were in JSP Nepal in the last election, joined the CPN (UML). JSP Nepal has also faced accusations of fielding candidates merely to show presence and for the sake of the name.

JSP Nepal leader Purna Basnet says, 'These votes are shameful, but we cannot break the trust given by the people. We have fielded candidates due to the responsibility to represent those very people who gave us votes.'

He expressed confidence that votes would increase this time, stating that the party's base being in Madhes is why the public trust in the Kathmandu Valley appears low. Claiming that JSP Nepal is clearer than other parties on issues of identity, inclusivity, and democracy, he said that a situation will arise in the future where voters in the valley will also trust the party.

AJP Nepal, contesting in the Kathmandu Valley for the first time, has made the issue of anti-corruption its main agenda. According to Ramnarayan Sah, Kathmandu Secretary of AJP Nepal, they contested here because Kathmandu Valley is the area with the highest corruption. Mentioning their repeated protests against corruption at customs, he expressed confidence that this would be reflected in the votes.

RMP Nepal, on the other hand, has advanced its election campaign by making heritage conservation its main issue. According to Dipen Pant, a leader from Kathmandu-7, the party is taking this election as an opportunity to introduce itself to the public as it is a new party. RMP Nepal, which raises issues like river standards, the squatter problem, road expansion, and heritage conservation, views this election as a measure of its strength.

However, leaders say that RMP Nepal was somewhat affected after key Kathmandu Valley leader Suman Sayami left the party just before the election. They understand that the party organization was impacted after Sayami, long active in heritage and Guthi conservation campaigns, joined the CPN (UML).