Electoral Battle Heats Up in Makwanpur Constituency-2 as Candidates Vie for Victory

Hetaunda. As the date for the House of Representatives election on the upcoming Falgun 21 approaches, the electoral atmosphere in Makwanpur Constituency Number 2 is intensifying. The competition between preserving the old legacy and creating a new history in this constituency has made the electoral environment interesting.

With political parties entering the electoral contest individually without forming alliances, various speculations are arising about the outcome in this constituency. A total of 21 candidates, including 16 from various political parties and five independents, are in the electoral race in this constituency.

In this constituency, the candidates in the electoral field are Budhha Lama from the Nepali Congress, Mahesh Kumar Bartaula from the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), Labhshere Bista from the Communist Party of Nepal, Ram Bahadur Thokar from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Prashant Upreti from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Santosh Bista from the Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party, Yunes Lama Sintan from the Shram Sanskriti Party, and Dr. Pravinkumar Syangtan from the Ujyalo Nepal Party.

Similarly, Saroj Tamang from the Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party, Ram Ghalan from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), Chhabilal Waiba from the Janata Samajbadi Party, Hiralal Syangtan from the Mongol National Organization, and Shubharaj Praja from the Sanyukta Nagarik Party are in the electoral competition. Independents Krishna Ram Shrestha, Ramesh Acharya, Pratiksha Baniya, and Amrit Bal are also contesting.

Among these, UML's Bartaula was elected from the same constituency in the previous House of Representatives election in 2079. RPP's Thokar is contesting for the second time, while other candidates are contesting for the House of Representatives election for the first time. Congress's Lama is the District President of the Nepali Congress in Makwanpur.

In the 2079 election, UML's Bartaula was elected from this constituency by securing 34,916 votes, while the then CPN (Unified Socialist)'s Biraj Kharel received 30,396 votes, Rastriya Swatantra Party's Bharat Parajuli received 12,039 votes, and RPP's Rajan Mainali received 2,194 votes.

With candidates changing from other parties, UML has again nominated Bartaula. After filing their candidacies, the candidates have now started reaching voters' doorsteps carrying their 'agendas'. This constituency includes four wards of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City, along with Thaha Municipality, Raksirang Rural Municipality, Kailash Rural Municipality, Indrasarobar Rural Municipality, Manahari Rural Municipality, Bhimphedi Rural Municipality, and two wards of Makwanpur Rural Municipality.

Makwanpur Constituency Number 2 has a total of 156,899 voters, comprising 82,333 males and 74,566 females. There are 196 polling centers across 105 polling stations in this constituency. Geographically considered remote, this area has a majority of Chepang and Tamang communities.

In this constituency, which has a majority of indigenous communities, the Nepali Congress appears to have nominated Lama with a strategy to attract tribal votes. CPN has nominated the former Mayor of Thaha Municipality, Labhshere Bista, as its candidate for the House of Representatives election. The Congress has never won the House of Representatives election in Makwanpur Constituency Number 2, which is considered a stronghold of the Communist Party.

As the House of Representatives election is taking place under different circumstances and times this time, the candidates are claiming they will win. UML candidate Bartaula claims that he brought many plans for the overall development of the district during his short tenure of three years and that voters will elect him again to complete those unfinished plans.

"After I was elected, I brought many plans for road infrastructure, education, and health in this area during my short tenure, and those plans are still in operation," Bartaula said. "I am confident that the people will elect me again to complete those unfinished plans and for further development." He stated that he is certain of victory because he has worked for the development of the area and remained among the voters after being elected.

He mentioned that the country must elect his party to save it from crisis and fulfill the dream of a prosperous Nepal and happy Nepalis. Nepali Congress candidate Lama claims victory because he was born in this constituency and has continuously lived and engaged in political and social work with the local people.

"I am a local of this constituency, and I understand the sorrows and pains of the people here well," Lama said. "I am reaching out to every voter with the agenda of local physical infrastructure development, health, education, and tourism development, and I am confident of winning." He stated that his priorities include solving the problems of squatters, legalizing cannabis cultivation which is a major source of income, and developing Indrasarobar as a tourist area.

He claimed that the fact that his party leads most of the local bodies in this constituency, and that the party's internal issues have been resolved, with leaders and cadres unitedly entering the election under new leadership, has become a strong basis for victory.

CPN candidate Bista claimed that voters will vote for him because everyone has seen the commendable development, good governance, and the role he played in promoting transparency while he was the Mayor of Thaha Municipality.

"When I was the Mayor, I did exemplary work within the municipal area by encompassing all sides, working without favoritism towards anyone. Therefore, this time voters will elect me to the House of Representatives," CPN candidate Bista said. "The strong organizational base of the party in this area, the work I have done, and the increased attraction towards the party recently are reasons why I will win the election."

He stated that protecting the achievements gained from the sacrifices of martyrs is the primary necessity, and voters will be conscious and vote for his party.

RSP candidate Prashant Upreti says that although the party's organized base in this constituency is not strong, the general public is fed up with old parties and old leaders, and voters are currently looking for change, new faces, and young faces, which is why he will win this time.

"Our party has entered the electoral field with the agenda of good governance, prosperity, and development according to the mandate of the Gen Z movement," Upreti said. "Currently, I am reaching out to the voters with the party's agenda, pro-people policies, and local development agendas. Voter attraction is increasing, so they will vote for me, and I will win the election."