Nepali Congress Fights to Retain Stronghold in Dadeldhura as Deuba Sits Out Election

Dadeldhura. The Nepali Congress is striving to secure its traditional stronghold in the upcoming House of Representatives election in Dadeldhura. With former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, who has consistently won from Dadeldhura since 2048 BS, not contesting this time, the Congress is making efforts to retain its seat.

Former President Deuba, who has been elected from here seven times up to 2079 BS and has held the executive position of Prime Minister and the presidency of the Congress, is not in the race for the upcoming election. Consequently, the competitors in the electoral field are actively working to secure the results in their favor.

Young Congress leader Nain Singh Mahar is explaining the reasons for Deuba's non-participation in the election and is committing to winning the hearts of the voters and working according to public expectations. Experts suggest that challenges for the party in securing the election in Deuba's home district of Dadeldhura have increased due to issues such as the attack on the Deuba couple during the Jyanji movement and his subsequent loss of the party presidency.

The current candidate, Mahar, who has also served as the central president of the Nepal Students' Union, faces the challenge of continuing the Congress's winning streak in Dadeldhura, a seat consistently won by Deuba.

Hemraj Chataut, Secretary of the Congress Dadeldhura, stated that former President Deuba is unable to come here due to health issues. "The rumor that he will not come here for campaigning is just market gossip," he said, "He will come here for party programs."

Similarly, Chakra Snehi is contesting the election for the first time from the Communist Party of Nepal (UML). Snehi, who became a National Assembly member in 2074 BS, has been active in UML politics since his student days. In the 2070 BS Constituent Assembly election, Dr. Tara Joshi was the UML candidate.

Gajendra Shahi, UML District Chairman, stated that the entire party apparatus is active in the electoral field. "We are confident of victory because UML is a party that works for the nation, nationalism, and development," he said.

In Dadeldhura, which has a total of 93,403 voters, 13 candidates are in the electoral competition. Joshi, who won the Provincial Assembly seat as an independent candidate in the 2079 BS election, is now contesting from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). The competition in the election is expected to be between the Nepali Congress, CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist Centre), and Rastriya Swatantra Party.

The CPN (Maoist Centre) has fielded Mansingh Mal in the electoral field here. "Dadeldhura has many possibilities; there is potential to make the district a hub for education and health," Mal said during his door-to-door campaign, "The country needs youth. I am also young, and this is my first time going door-to-door seeking a public mandate. I expect support."

In the 2079 BS election, when he won for the seventh time, Deuba secured 25,534 votes, while his competitor, independent candidate Sagar Dhakal, received 13,042 votes.

Dadeldhura, which has only one constituency for the House of Representatives, has a total of 93,403 voters. In the 2079 BS House of Representatives election, there were 91,201 voters. Karunakar Awasthi, Chief of the District Election Office, stated that 2,202 voters have been added to the district this time.

With the increase in voters, the polling structure has also been expanded. Awasthi mentioned that 104 polling stations and 141 polling centers have been established in the district this time, noting that 33 of these polling stations have been listed as 'highly sensitive.'

Dr. Tara Prasad Joshi, the candidate from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), is also active in the electoral field. Joshi, who has moved from UML, Unified Socialist, independent, and Ujyalo Nepal Party to RSP, is campaigning door-to-door in Dadeldhura for the third time.

He stated that he resigned from the Sudurpashchim Provincial Assembly membership to become a candidate for the House of Representatives. "The enthusiasm of the new and the experience of the old are the needs of today," he said, "I represent that, and I have a clear roadmap for nation-building."

Here, Govinda Khadayat from RPP, Khadak Bahadur Thakurathi from Aam Janata Party, Chandra Bik from Rastriya Janamorcha, Mahendra Punmagar from Shram Sanskriti Party, Lakshmidatta Bhatt from Jai Matribhumi Party, Surendraraj Bhatt from Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party, and independents Surendra Rawal, Tirtharaj Upreti, and Gaurav Bahadur Air are candidates.

For the first time in about 34 years, voters in Dadeldhura will cast their ballots for a candidate other than Deuba from the Nepali Congress.