Election Campaign Heats Up in Kanchanpur Constituency 1 as New Faces Challenge Veterans

Kanchanpur. As the election date set for February 21 approaches, election campaigning is intensifying in the district.

This time, new candidates are set to challenge the familiar faces who have long been active in the electoral arena. Candidates are currently focusing on direct engagement with voters through door-to-door campaigns. While established candidates are basing their campaigns on the achievements of their previous terms, the new candidates have made change and good governance their main agenda.

Former Minister Tara Lama Tamang is contesting from the CPN (UML), and former Minister Bina Magar is in the electoral field from the CPN (Maoist Centre). The Nepali Congress has fielded young leader Gopiprasad Upadhyaya, who emerged from student politics, in this constituency. Janak Dhami is the candidate from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). Upadhyaya and Dhami are competing in an election for the first time.

Looking at the electoral history of this constituency: Nepali Congress won the first parliamentary election in 2048 BS, UML in 2051 BS, Congress again in the 2056 BS election, CPN (Maoist) in 2064 BS, and a Congress candidate in 2070 BS. Based on past results, the Nepali Congress has won the election three times in 2048, 2056, and 2070 BS. CPN (Maoist Centre) won in BS 2064 and 2074 BS, while UML won in the 2051 and 2079 BS elections.

Development and Good Governance as Key Agendas

Candidates in Kanchanpur Constituency No. 1 have made development and good governance their main agenda. Parties in this constituency face the challenge of retaining their traditional strongholds. This time, young candidates appear to be challenging the established figures. Looking at the electoral history of this constituency, Nepali Congress has won three times, while the Maoist Centre and UML have won twice each.

Chetan Rai, the acting regional president of the Nepali Congress for Constituency No. 1, states that the party is fully engaged in the election with the goal of reclaiming its old legacy. "Due to the strong sentiment that youth should come forward after the agitation in Bhadra last year, the party has also nominated a young candidate this time," he said. "Our candidate is popular among the public, and we are receiving positive feedback from the voters."

Tamang of the CPN (UML), who was elected from this constituency in 2079 BS, stated that she has entered the field with a strategy aimed at achieving victory in the election. She claimed that she would win this time due to the development work she undertook while serving as a minister in the provincial government and after being elected as a member of the House of Representatives.

Former Minister Magar, the candidate from the CPN (Maoist Centre), is also strategizing for victory. She mentioned that she has been continuously working for the development of this constituency and pledged to complete the unfinished work if elected again.

RSP candidate Dhami is also a person who has built a popular image among the people. He stated that he would work as a servant of the people and expressed the view that votes should be changed this time.

Kanchanpur Constituency No. 1 comprises Belauri Municipality, Punarbas Municipality, Beldandi, and Laljhadi Rural Municipalities. There are 101,724 voters in this constituency.