Seventeen Candidates Vie for Votes in Kaski Constituency No. 2 Amidst Tight Political Race

Seventeen candidates are in the electoral fray in Kaski Constituency No. 2. This constituency, which has a strong influence of the CPN (UML), is being watched with great anticipation by many.

In the previous election, UML leader Bidya Bhattarai was victorious, while the same party's Rabindra Adhikari had won the 2064 and 2070 Constituent Assembly elections and the 2074 election.

In the last election, UML's leader Bhattarai won under the alliance that included the Nepali Congress, Maoist, and Unified Socialist parties. Madhav Kandel of the Rastriya Swatantra Party came in second. A three-way contest is currently anticipated here.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party claims it will sideline the CPN-UML this time, while the Nepali Congress has complained that it could not use its own election symbol in the previous election due to the alliance. 

However, the party stated that since it can now campaign using its own election symbol, it is easier to give a tough fight to its rivals. The voters here are divided. Most suggest the competition will be primarily between the CPN-UML, Nepali Congress, and RPP.

Here, 17 individuals are in the field, including Rashmi Acharya of the CPN-UML, Madhav Bastola of the Nepali Congress, Hem Bahadur Thapa of the CPN (Unified), Uttam Prasad Paudel of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Kushal Gurung from the Ujyalo Nepal Party, and Hemjung Gurung of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

Candidates campaigning in villages and settlements have stated that they prioritize corruption-free administration, job creation, quality education, and national prosperity championed by the new generation.

Voters have urged candidates to construct basic infrastructure in villages such as Chavadi, Kurling, and Singarewas in Bharatpokhari.