Shifting Political Landscape in Kanchanpur-3 Sees Voters Seeking Change Amidst Traditional Party Turmoil

Dhangadhi. In Kanchanpur, among the three constituencies for the House of Representatives, Constituency Number-3 presents a different electoral atmosphere this time compared to the past. Voters in this constituency claim that the results this time will be different from previous elections.

Voters in Dodhara-Chandani Municipality, all wards of Bhimdatta Municipality, and Ward No. 8 of Bedkot Municipality, which fall under this constituency, state that they are seeking change. Hari Prasad Bhatta, a local of Dodhara Chandani Municipality, is not in any dilemma this time. He said, 'We have seen many, listened to many promises. Nothing has been done, so this time I am thinking of voting for someone new.'

Similarly, Tulsa Mahara of Bhimdatta Municipality has the same understanding. She said, 'The old parties misused our votes; this time the atmosphere is for the bell (Rastriya Swatantra Party symbol). Everyone in the village is talking about giving a chance to someone new.'

Phulridevi Bhatta of Bedkot-8 also stated that she is preparing to vote for someone different this time compared to the past. 'The RSP (Rastriya Swatantra Party) is being discussed everywhere now. When villagers gather, they say they will vote for someone new now. I also have hope that a new person might do something. Even if it is to see the work done, the vote will go to someone new this time,' she said.

Kanchanpur-3 is the home turf of Nepali Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak. Lekhak, active in parliamentary politics since 2056 BS, has contested from here in every election except the 2064 BS Constituent Assembly election. However, the Congress has not fielded Lekhak this time. Former District President Hari Prasad Bohora has been given the ticket in his place.

This decision by the Congress has caused a major stir within the party. Lekhak's supporters are disgruntled. A large segment that has considered Lekhak a leader for decades is finding it difficult to easily accept Bohora. 'There is no energy in the Congress organization without Ramesh Lekhak. The cadres are divided,' said a local leader.

In such a situation, the traditional vote bank of the Congress is certain to be divided. It is widely anticipated that the RSP candidate will directly benefit from this.

Congress candidate Hari Prasad Bohora is contesting a parliamentary election for the first time. Although he has a strong hold on the organization, capturing the mass sentiment in the election appears challenging for him.

In the 2079 election, Ramesh Lekhak won this constituency by securing 30,575 votes. CPN-UML's Nirudevi Pal secured 18,485 votes.

CPN-UML has fielded Dr. Deepak Prakash Bhatta in this constituency. Bhatta became a Member of Parliament in the 2074 election by defeating Ramesh Lekhak with the strength of the Left Alliance. At that time, he won because the UML and Maoists contested the election together. In 2079, UML's Nirudevi Pal was defeated by Lekhak.

Although Dr. Bhatta is considered an intellectual and modest leader, the UML seems to be struggling to maintain its old prestige this time. Frequent changes in the ruling coalition and problems with local vote transfer have also put pressure on the UML.

Similarly, Man Bahadur Sunar from the Communist Party of Nepal is also in the contest. He is a former Minister of State for Agriculture in the Sudurpaschim Province government. Although Sunar, who won the Provincial Assembly seat in 2074, has some personal influence in certain areas, his grip across the entire constituency is not very strong.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party has nominated Gyanendra Mahata, who has a journalism background, as its candidate. Voters say that being close to local issues due to his journalism is Mahata's biggest asset as a new face.

The younger generation and social media-active voters are looking for an alternative to the traditional parties. Gyanendra Mahata is striving to turn this search for an alternative in his favor.

In the 2079 election, Ramesh Lekhak won this constituency by securing 30,575 votes. CPN-UML's Nirudevi Pal secured 18,485 votes. Looking at the proportional representation vote results, the rise of the RSP appears interesting. In the 2079 proportional votes, Nepali Congress secured 20,571. Similarly, CPN-UML got 11,816, RPP got 6,026, and RSP got 4,900 votes. CPN (Maoist Centre) secured 4,462 votes.

The reconstruction work of the Majhgaun Airport in Bhimdatta Municipality is progressing at a snail's pace. There is a lack of budget for the Mahakali Corridor. Although the dry port in Dodhara Chandani is under construction, its pace is slow. Even though a four-lane concrete bridge has been built, the change it should bring to the economic life of the locals has not yet been felt.

How is the RSP, which secured 4,900 votes back then, claiming victory now? According to analysts, dissatisfied voters from Congress and UML, some votes from RPP, and decisive voters are likely to shift towards the RSP in this election. Local Bhawani Chaudhary analyzes that the vacuum created by the absence of Ramesh Lekhak, especially in Congress, and internal dissatisfaction within the UML could make the RSP an unexpected winner.

Voters in Kanchanpur-3 have been facing the same problems year after year. Every monsoon, hundreds of families are displaced by floods and erosion from the Mahakali and Jogbuda rivers in Dodhara Chandani. In every election, candidates promise concrete embankments, but when the monsoon arrives, the locals face problems.

The reconstruction work of the Majhgaun Airport in Bhimdatta Municipality is progressing at a snail's pace. There is a lack of budget for the Mahakali Corridor. Although the dry port in Dodhara Chandani is under construction, its pace is slow. Even though a four-lane concrete bridge has been built, the change it should bring to the economic life of the locals has not yet been felt.

Leaders of the old parties consider these projects as their achievements, while candidates from new parties are criticizing them as examples of corruption and delays. Bhatta conveyed the sentiment that voters are now looking for visible changes in daily life rather than big dreams. 'We want a leader who works and understands our problems,' she said.