Voter Apathy Rises in Dumre as Migrant Workers and Vendors Express Disillusionment Ahead of Elections

Dumre. The busy commercial hub of Dumre on the Prithvi Highway. The traffic congestion and the clamor of horns remain intense. Amidst the fast-moving vehicles, the hustle and bustle of the election can also be seen.

Saraswati Kumal from Gorkha's Chyangli spends her day showing fruits from the windows of buses and micro-buses speeding past, sometimes on the left side, sometimes on the right. She has supported the education of her three children by selling fruits here. Her eldest daughter is pursuing a bachelor's degree.

Saraswati, who is 47, is voting for the fifth time this time. She has voted for many, switching between the Maoists, Congress, and UML. Tired of voting, she has lost the enthusiasm to cast her ballot this time.

'I have a voter ID card, made long ago. I have sent four people to parliament,' Saraswati said, 'I voted for the Maoists sometimes, and Congress sometimes. It's the same no matter which party I vote for. Maybe I won't vote this time.'

She mentions that leaders approach her with greetings while seeking votes. 'They say, 'We will provide employment for your children, arrange free education,' she recounted her past experiences, 'Once they win, no one sees our suffering. A dog might look back, but leaders never return.'

Saraswati's older sister, Bishnu Kumal, 62, and her middle sister, nearly 66, also sell fruits on the same road. Bishnu has been selling roasted corn and fruits for 17 years. 'Our hardship has never ended. Happiness has never come to us,' she said, taking a deep breath, 'This time, we will just say 'yes, yes' to those who come asking for votes. Voting is another matter.'

They prefer to work hard to bring the bananas and litchis grown on their land to the market themselves rather than selling them cheaply to contractors.

Various political parties are holding election campaign programs in Dumre market. They show little interest in these events. 'Leaders become like us during election time. We vote thinking 'it might be true,' but we don't see their faces from the day they win,' Bishnu said, 'We keep voicing our grievances, but those who should listen do not.'

Their request is for the municipality to create a designated trading space near the market. 'Given how much we know, if we could get jobs accordingly, why would we have to run around nervously on this road?' Bishnu asked, 'Our lives have been spent on this road; we are struggling so that our children don't have to end up here.'

The Prithvi Highway has been expanded to create a six-lane road in Dumre market. Vehicles move at high speeds on the wide road. Therefore, the Bandipur Rural Municipality is preparing to ban trading done by approaching vehicle windows.

The business owners are worried because the municipality is planning to stop roadside vending starting from Falgun 3. They request that they not be removed until an alternative is provided.

'The municipality says we cannot operate on the road. We pay a tax of 30 rupees daily to conduct business,' they say, 'If we pay the tax, we should be allowed to earn a living. Otherwise, they should designate a place for us to sell.'

Thousands of laborers are mingled in Dumre. Candidates, however, are scrambling to find voters. As their living standards show no improvement, voters are losing the enthusiasm to cast their ballots. 

Tashi and Funjo Gurung, who descended from Lomanthang and Chhoser in Mustang to escape the cold and trade, are sitting on the pavement of Dumre displaying Jambu and souvenirs. They come down to the plains for four months every winter. They are completely unaware that elections are approaching. Instead, they worry whether today's earnings will cover the evening's necessities.

Before the question of whether they would vote this time could even land, Funjo responded, 'Who should we vote for? Why should we vote? What has happened from voting until now?'

When the Mustangis leave their villages to escape the winter, the candidates are now wandering around looking for voters.

'I won't vote for anyone now. What's the point of voting?' Funjo questioned, 'If voting meant we could sell our goods, then we would. Otherwise, why should we? Who cares about our suffering?'

They share the experience that leaders are only humble when seeking votes and ignore them at other times. 'They all come saying 'Horche' (Namaste) when asking for votes. After winning, who knows where they go,' Tashi said, 'That's why I don't feel like voting. If I must vote, I will stamp every symbol.'

This is the fifth time Tashi has been trading during the winter like this.

They know almost all the leaders from Mustang. They named the leaders who won in turns previously and those running now, but they don't feel like voting for anyone. 'We know everyone, we know about everyone, but we won't vote now,' is their unanimous voice.

Thousands of laborers are mingled in Dumre. Candidates, however, are scrambling to find voters. As their living standards show no improvement, voters are losing the enthusiasm to cast their ballots.