Candidates from Hill Districts of Lumbini Province Campaign in Terai Regions for Upcoming By-elections

Rupandehi. As the hustle and bustle for the upcoming House of Representatives election on Falgun 21st increases, candidates from the hill districts of Lumbini Province are descending into the Terai districts to woo voters. Candidates from Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, and Pyuthan in the hill districts of Lumbini Province have started focusing on Rupandehi and Kapilvastu in the Terai to meet voters and garner support for themselves. They have initiated programs to charm voters by holding party gatherings, meetings, and direct interactions with voters in the Terai districts.

Among the 12 districts of the province, one is a Himalayan district (Eastern Rukum) and the other five are hill districts. Many voters from the hill districts have migrated to districts like Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, and Kathmandu. However, since they have not transferred their voter registration, candidates visit these districts during election time to seek votes.

In Gulmi Constituency No. 1, candidates including Pradip Kumar Gyawali of CPN (UML), Chandra Bhandari of Nepali Congress, Sagar Dhakal of Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Sudarshan Baral of the Communist Party of Nepal, along with 10 other political parties and 11 independent candidates, are in the electoral contest. This constituency has 122,186 voters. The candidates have held gatherings and meetings with cadres in Butwal and Bhairahawa, urging them to return to the district to cast their votes in the Falgun 21st election.

Gyawali, the candidate from CPN (UML) for this constituency, estimates, based on past election data, that there are nearly 10,000 voters from Gulmi district in areas like Rupandehi, Nawalparasi, and Kapilvastu. He stated that priority is being given to programs like meetings, gatherings, and discussions in other districts to create an environment for out-of-district voters to come and vote.

Candidates are continuing the practice of meeting voters residing outside their districts, as seen in previous local level, federal, and provincial elections. However, this year, due to the special circumstances following the 'Gen-Z movement,' candidates are facing difficulties in finding voters following the announcement of the House of Representatives election on Falgun 21st.

Chandra Bhandari, the Nepali Congress candidate for Gulmi Constituency No. 1, defeated CPN (UML) leader Pradip Kumar Gyawali in the 2079 election. He mentions that in the 2079 election, he managed to bring 4,500 voters from Rupandehi district alone to Gulmi to vote. This time, he has already held one gathering in Butwal and plans to continue this effort.

In Constituency No. 2 of the district, 10 parties and 12 independent candidates are in the electoral contest. Gokul Bista, Vice Chairman of CPN (UML) and former minister, Bhuwan Shrestha, Vice Chairman of Nepali Congress Lumbini Province, Shriram Mahat of CPN, and Govinda Panthi from RASP are in the running from this constituency. Karna Bahadur Thapa from Ujyalo Nepal Party, Janak Sen from Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Padam Thapamagar from National Republic Nepal, and Bed Bahadur Thapa from Mongol National Organization were candidates. This election has 107,363 voters in this constituency.

During the election campaign, Vice Chairman Bista, the candidate from CPN (UML), concluded his constituency-level programs and meetings with voters in Butwal over three days and returned to the district on Thursday. He completed nearly a dozen programs in Butwal over three days.

Thakur Gaire, the CPN (UML) candidate for Palpa Constituency No. 2, states that many voters from his constituency reside permanently or for various professions in areas like Butwal and Bhairahawa, and the party plans to organize programs to create an environment for them to come and vote. Som Prasad Pandey, the candidate from the Communist Party of Nepal for Palpa Constituency No. 2, held a press conference in Butwal on Magh 18th, inviting voters residing in Butwal and surrounding areas from Palpa to vote. Following this, he engaged in wooing voters by organizing cadre meetings and gatherings in various locations in Rupandehi.

Palpa Constituency No. 2 has 109,053 voters, comprising 53,775 male and 55,278 female voters. Constituency No. 2 has 118 polling stations and 251 polling centers. Sixteen candidates, including 14 from political parties and two independents, are competing in this constituency.

In Arghakhanchi district, which has only one constituency, 15 candidates, including one woman, are in the electoral contest. Twelve candidates from various parties and three independent candidates are competing for the House of Representatives election. In this district, Bishnu Prasad Khanal is the candidate from Nepali Congress and Pitambar Bhusal from CPN (UML). Similarly, Ram Bahadur Chauhan from the Communist Party of Nepal, Hari Prasad Bhusal from Rastriya Swatantra Party, Khim Bahadur Gharti from CPN (Maoist), Jhabindra Phullel from Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Pashupati Dhakal from Rastriya Janamorcha, Puskar Nath Acharya from Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party, and independent candidate Ravi Shah are contesting.

For the House of Representatives election in Arghakhanchi district, there are a total of 171,652 voters, including 87,157 males and 84,495 females. This district has 102 polling stations and 209 polling centers.

Candidates have been meeting voters in Butwal, Bhairahawa, Kapilvastu, and other places, alongside their campaign programs in the district. Pitambar Bhusal, the CPN (UML) candidate, stated that he has finished wooing voters by holding one round of cadre gatherings in Butwal. He mentioned that further programs would be organized if necessary. He stated that a significant portion of the district's total voters, nearly 40%, reside outside the district, and voters residing in Kapilvastu, as well as Butwal, Bhairahawa, Kathmandu, and Dang, are being called upon to come and vote.

Nepali Congress candidate Bishnu Prasad Khanal says it is impossible to reach all voters by remaining confined only to the district. He is currently reaching out to out-of-district voters with his electoral agenda, having already completed a program in Butwal as the first phase. He mentioned the compulsion to create an environment for voters residing in areas like Pokhara, Kathmandu, Rupandehi, and Kapilvastu to come and vote, as many voters are located there.

Gehendra Kunwar, Information Officer at the Provincial Election Office, Dang, states that the Election Commission is conducting voter education programs to encourage such out-of-district voters to participate in the election. He mentioned that the Election Commission has been publishing and broadcasting voter-centric election education programs through various media, in addition to the programs being conducted by political parties.