Political Heat Rises in Khotang as Parties Gear Up for Upcoming House of Representatives Election

Biratnagar. Formal campaigning for the House of Representatives election scheduled for February 21 began on Monday. With the start of campaigning, political fervor has increased in Khotang, as in the rest of the country. A contest for demonstrating strength and wooing voters has begun among the main competing parties: Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN).

The Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) has fielded leftist intellectual Dr. Hari Roka in the electoral arena in Khotang. While intellectuals across the country are appealing for votes in Roka's favor, the traditional powers, Congress and UML, are strategizing to secure their organizational vote base.

Nepali Congress candidate Birendra Kaji Rai claimed unprecedented unity within the Congress this time. Rai stated, 'Currently, all Congress workers are mobilized with collective responsibility. For organizational election mobilization, the candidate will make decisions according to their convenience.'

Rai asserted that the Congress's position is secure. 'Our understanding is that we can win even by securing Congress's core votes. All leaders are working together now. Therefore, our prospects are strong,' he said.

He mentioned that the rise of new parties adds some challenges, but the fundamental vote bank of the Congress will not erode.

CPN-UML candidate Dev Bikram Rai is primarily basing his strategy on the statistics from the previous election. Recalling the results of the 2079 election, he said, 'The data from 2079 shows we are the leading party. At that time, even with five parties allied against us, we were only behind by a margin of 2600 votes. We have a large vote share in proportional representation. Congress and CPN are second and third, respectively.'

He claimed that although the influence of new parties is visible, the results will not change significantly. 'The so-called new parties have caused minimal damage to us. There is some buzz about the Shram Sanskriti Party (Labor Culture Party), and the Bell symbol also has dormant supporters, but they do not have enough votes to win. Our main competitor is the Nepali Congress,' he said.

Rai stated that UML's organization is strong in all wards and that unity among leaders is the main basis for victory.

Meanwhile, Economist Dr. Hari Roka, who contested the general election in Khotang in 2056 BS with the 'Star' election symbol, is once again a candidate from the Communist Party of Nepal. Roka, who contested as a candidate for the CPN-ML (a faction split from UML) in 2056 BS, finished third. At that time, he was defeated by Shiva Kumar Basnet of the Nepali Congress.

Ram Kumar Rai (Pasang), who put forward Dr. Roka on behalf of the CPN, claimed that the standing of both Congress and UML has declined. 'Even with six former MPs and ministers among us, we concluded that Hari Roka must be put forward in this complex situation. Since he is an intellectual personality, everyone has accepted him,' Pasang said.

He analyzed that the internal strife and declining credibility of Congress and UML will benefit the CPN. Pasang stated, 'UML is in a severely declining state right now; they cannot even mobilize in the field. Congress is also divided into three factions. In such a situation, the intellectual community and the general public will choose Hari Roka.'

The extent to which the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and the Shram Sanskriti Party, influenced by Dharan Mayor Harka Sampang, will cut votes in Khotang is a central topic of discussion. According to UML candidate Dev Bikram Rai, since Harka Sampang's birthplace is Khotang, the Shram Sanskriti Party might influence some votes, but UML analyzes that the RSP candidate is a person who has switched from older parties, so they will not significantly challenge the established forces.

On the other hand, Congress has accused the new parties of lacking an agenda and merely creating noise.

While Congress and UML are focused on protecting their organizational strongholds, the CPN is banking on Dr. Hari Roka's personality and intellectual appeal to secure victory. Intellectuals including Pitambar Sharma, Khagendra Sangraula, Professor Krishna Pokharel, and others are appealing for votes for Roka through video messages on social media platform Facebook. As the eyes of intellectuals nationwide turn towards Khotang, the votes cut by the new parties, RSP and Shram Sanskriti Party, are expected to decide the outcome of the election. The result of the February 21 election will require a few more days of waiting.

• Past History

In the elections since the establishment of the Republic, Bhupendra Rai of the Nepali Congress won the parliamentary election in Khotang in the 2079 BS Provincial Assembly election. Except for him, Congress candidates for the House of Representatives have not tasted victory. UML won in Khotang in 2048 BS and 2051 BS. In 2056 BS, however, Shiva Kumar Basnet and Sarvadhan Rai of the Nepali Congress were elected from both constituencies in Khotang.

In the first Constituent Assembly election of 2064 BS, Samita Karki and Ram Kumar Rai Pasang of the Maoist party were victorious. UML and Congress candidates were defeated that time. In the second Constituent Assembly election of 2070 BS, Bishal Bhattarai and Pancha Karna Rai of the UML were elected. Even as the Maoist party faced defeat nationwide, the Nepali Congress could not defeat the other leftist party, UML, in Khotang.

Again in 2074 BS, UML's Bishal Bhattarai, a candidate from the Left Alliance, defeated Congress's Saraswati Bajimaya by securing 37,837 votes. Congress's Bajimaya had 23,465 votes.

In the 2079 BS House of Representatives election, Ram Kumar Rai of the then CPN (Maoist Centre), supported by five parties including the Nepali Congress, was victorious. Rai secured 31,351 votes, while UML's Bishal Bhattarai received 28,682 votes.

In the 2079 BS proportional representation category in Khotang, UML was the leading party. UML received 24,271 votes, Congress received 18,672, the then Maoist Centre received 11,845, and the then CPN (Unified Socialist) received 3,363 votes. RSP, on the other hand, received 1,497 votes in proportional representation at that time.

• Voter Status

There are 147,120 registered voters in Khotang. In the district, which has ten local levels, there are 77,656 male voters and 69,464 female voters. The largest local level in the district, Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality, has 35,760 voters, while the smallest, Sakela Rural Municipality, has 8,645 voters.

One thousand eight hundred eighty-one new voters have been added. For the election, 136 polling stations and 195 voting centers have been designated in Khotang.