Manang District Finalizes Preparations for Upcoming Elections Amidst Snowfall Challenges

Pokhara. Preparations for the elections scheduled for Falgun 21 have reached the final stage in the Himalayan district of Manang. However, monitoring the polling stations has been problematic due to adverse weather conditions and geographical remoteness.

Manang's Chief Election Officer, Ram Prasad Paudel, informed that work is underway to clear the snow accumulated on the road leading to the remote Narpabhumi Rural Municipality. According to him, as the cold subsides and the sun begins to shine, conducting the election will now be easier.

'There has been difficulty in movement due to thick snow accumulation on the road leading to Narpabhumi Rural Municipality,' Paudel said, 'We are sending security personnel and staff to clear the snow and open the road. Once the road is cleared, ballot boxes and election materials will be transported.'

He stated that the work of managing manpower for the election has been completed. Paudel informed that a total of 29 centers, including 28 polling stations and one temporary polling station across the district, will have 171 staff deployed. Additionally, two volunteers will be mobilized at each polling station.

'There is no other kind of threat here; our main challenge is geography and weather,' Paudel says, 'The process of snow melting has started now. It won't be difficult to conduct the election.' The Election Office announced that monitoring of polling stations in Upper Manang will take place today.

As the election approaches, candidates have also started returning to the district. The office announced that an all-party meeting will be called once the candidates currently in Kathmandu and Pokhara return. Paudel informed that the process of election materials reaching the district has begun.

There are only 3 candidates in Manang. Tek Bahadur Gurung is the candidate from the Nepali Congress, Yashoda Subedi from the Communist Party of Nepal, and Ram Bahadur Ghale from the National Mongol Organization.

Polde Gurung of CPN-UML and Kubir Singh Gurung of RPP have withdrawn their candidacies in support of Congress's Tek Bahadur. In this election, 7,000 voters will cast their ballots.