Voters in Kaski-2 Express Dissatisfaction, Signaling Potential Shift Away from CPN-UML Stronghold

Pokhara. “This hill used to be exclusively for UML; they never ceded ground, but now UML has no votes here. Everyone is in the mood to change their vote. Whatever they say publicly, their inner feelings have changed,” explained Kuldutta Pokharel of Pokhara Metropolitan City-21, Pokharelthok, elaborating on the local sentiment.

While basking in the sun at a local chautara on Monday afternoon, he and other senior citizens present supported his view. There isn't just one reason for changing votes; there are many. “School-going young children were killed by indiscriminate gunfire. Those who died in Kathmandu are like our own children, aren't they?” Pokharel said. “Who ordered that? Who was the Prime Minister then?”

He also argued that arresting Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), over cooperative fraud was wrong. During field reporting, most locals encountered seemed dissatisfied not with the candidates fielded by the parties, but with the central leadership.

Ward No. 21, which CPN-UML considered its fortress until the 2079 elections, now sees UML becoming an outsider. Dhanballabh Pokharel, who is over 70, also intends to switch his vote for a change of taste. “How long can one eat the same rice every day? If there is different rice in the barn, one can change it for a meal,” he said. “Many are saying they want to change their minds now and try something new. When it comes to the actual voting, we don't know where they will cast their vote, but publicly, everyone is saying that.”

Both Kuldutta and Dhanballabh are persons with disabilities. They have reached the mood to change their votes after listening to news on the radio and mobile phones.

While some are openly campaigning to change votes, others are secretly planning to switch their allegiance. Local resident Mitalal Subedi was also active in UML for a long time. Recently, he has been dissatisfied with the activities of the old parties. “People are going to vote for change now. No one is going to listen if someone tells them to vote for a specific person,” he said. “People are fed up with the behavior, working style, corruption, and unethical conduct of the old parties and are seeking change.”

He, too, is frustrated with the central leadership of the parties rather than the local candidates. “People are disappointed seeing that none of the old commitments made by the leaders have been fulfilled, and only false promises were given,” he added.

Relying on the strength of this very ward, CPN-UML candidates have been winning parliamentary elections for decades. In every election, more than 70 percent of the votes in this ward go in favor of UML. The late Rabindra Adhikari won a hat-trick of victories in parliament from this area. Following that by-election and the last parliamentary election, Rabindra's wife, Bidya Bhattarai, was elected after securing the decisive votes from this ward.

Although UML has nominated Rashmi Acharya, a local candidate from the same area this time, some seem to support Rashmi because she is a local. Bishnu Thapa, 70, from Manakamana Tole, is inclined to vote for the party she has always voted for, rather than a new one.

“Since I gained awareness, I have voted for the same party. Why should I change it now when I am near the end of my life? Development hasn't been lacking either,” she said.

While UML's organization and the legacy of the late Rabindra have not caused the party to shrink drastically, local leaders understand that the party will receive fewer votes compared to the past. “No current leader has the stature that Rabindra Adhikari had. He never lied,” local UML leaders say. “Where can we find such a leader now? The public is disappointed because the central leadership itself is flawed.”

Many who requested anonymity stated that they were in favor of changing their votes.

It is not just UML; organized members of the Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Centre) are also working to break the continuity of their votes. “Now, a worker from one party keeps the party card in their pocket and votes for another. That vote doesn't just go to RSP. A Congress vote might go to UML or CPN (Maoist Centre), and a UML vote might go to Congress or CPN (Maoist Centre),” one leader said on condition of anonymity. “I haven't renewed my party membership for six years, but they haven't removed my name yet. They are carrying 'baggage workers' just to show numbers.”

Monkey menace has become the biggest problem in the villages. Farmlands are lying fallow due to youth migration. Only the elderly remain to look after the homes. Despite being close to Pokhara, the drinking water problem is severe. Health posts exist, but people have to travel to Pokhara for treatment. Their demand to candidates is to make life sustainable while staying in the village.

In the last election, UML won the direct seat from this constituency. However, in the proportional representation category, the Rastriya Swatantra Party came first. Congress, which did not field a direct candidate, received 10,500 votes in PR.

Bidya Bhattarai, who won the direct election, secured 16,998 votes, while RSP's Madhav Kandel came second with 12,495 votes. Shreenath Baral of the CPN (Unified Socialist), representing the then-alliance of Congress and Maoist Centre, received 9,659 votes. In PR, UML received 13,500 votes, while RSP received 14,000 votes.

Now, Hem Bahadur Thapa (Kiran), the candidate from the CPN (Maoist Centre), is competing from what is considered UML's stronghold. He is also an influential leader in that area. As a result, there is a possibility that he might draw some votes away from UML.

Congress's Madhav Prasad Bastola 'Madhu' stated that securing the votes Congress has historically received might be enough for a win. However, factionalism has increased within Congress following the special general convention. RSP candidate Uttam Prasad Paudel is encouraged by observing the mood of the voters, while UML is striving to protect its legacy.

Regardless, the result of Kaski-2 will largely depend on the results from Wards 21 and 33 of Pokhara Metropolitan City. The focus of all parties is centered on this area.