Election Fever Rises in Tanahun By-election, But President's Village Remains Unstirred

Tanahun. As the date for the House of Representatives by-election, set for February 21, draws nearer, election fervor has intensified across Tanahun district. Candidates from various parties are busy from internal strategy formulation to door-to-door campaigns. While discussions about the election are ongoing in every square and tea stall, the President of the nation, Ramchandra Paudel's own village, has yet to feel the election buzz.

No candidate has visited Risti in Ward No. 8 of Byas Municipality, Tanahun, to seek votes. While candidates in other areas are making repeated door-to-door visits to woo voters, the residents of Risti are waiting for candidates to arrive. According to local leader Ramkrishna Paudel, they say there is still time left for the election period.

'Voters here always vote for the same party, so some candidates don't even bother coming, thinking they won't get votes anyway,' says Ramkrishna. 'Since they assume votes will always go to the same party, other parties don't show interest in door-to-door campaigning either.' They complain that although this area is usually won by the Congress party, when another party wins, the elected candidate never returns to the village. 'It's not that only one party has won from this area always. But when others win, they don't even come back to the village,' Ramkrishna added.

The election atmosphere is not heating up because there is little hustle and bustle among the villagers. The trend of moving from villages to cities in search of services and opportunities is intense. 'The village is almost empty; except for the elderly looking after the houses, almost everyone else is outside,' says another local, Indira Paudel. 'During election time, those living in the city come back to cast their votes, and then they return after voting.'

In Indira's experience too, candidates do not actively campaign door-to-door for votes. 'Only people from one or two parties come. Even that is not happening now,' she said. Although they traditionally vote for the same party, she understands that the psychology of the voters changes depending on whether the candidate visits the village or not.

A few days ago, the Nepali Congress was preparing to organize a public meeting in this village. However, the Congress stated that the program was postponed due to the death of a local resident in the village. Other political parties have not yet publicized any schedule for door-to-door canvassing or campaigning for Risti. Although some voters are starting to return to the village now, the President's village remains deserted in the absence of candidates' presence.