Ground Zero Election Coverage: Lalitpur-3 Sees Enthusiastic Voter Support for Independent Candidate Toshima Karki

Kathmandu. Candidates across the country are currently reaching out to voters at their doorsteps. They tend to visit voters more in the early morning and evening than during the day. As the election nears, it has become a daily scene where leaders greet voters with folded hands (Namaste), and voters wave back from their rooftops or balconies.

Although voters usually greet leaders under normal circumstances, the situation is completely reversed in the election atmosphere. This time, leaders are greeting voters with folded hands. The scene of door-to-door campaigning in urban areas is particularly interesting.

Leaders and cadres, who usually sit on stages or high seats, walk on the street greeting voters with folded hands, while voters appear in the leaders' usual elevated positions, waving from rooftops or balconies. However, in rural areas, candidates visit voters in their fields and workplaces rather than just their homes, where leaders greet voters everywhere.

In this context, following the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) candidate Dr. Toshima Karki in Lalitpur-3 on Thursday revealed the enthusiasm of the voters and the pile of challenges they presented to the candidate during the door-to-door campaign. When Dr. Toshima Karki's team reached the Airawal Tol Sudhar Samiti Chowk in Ward No. 23 of Lalitpur Metropolitan City at 8 AM on Thursday, they were campaigning door-to-door. Karki, along with a team of about 20 to 25 RSP leaders and cadres, was meeting voters, greeting them, and asking for votes. Some of her colleagues were making announcements via microphone while others were distributing promotional materials, appealing for votes for RSP.

The person making announcements was saying, 'Respected residents of the locality, brothers and sisters, your candidate Toshima Karki has arrived at your doorstep.' Some voters had gathered at the junction, waiting for Karki. Although the campaigning cadre arrived ahead, candidate Karki arrived five minutes late. She proceeded, greeting voters waving from rooftops or balconies with folded hands from the street. Female voters gathered at the junction hugged Toshima, wishing her victory, and everyone took selfies with their mobile phones.

After taking selfies, 70-year-old Salina Adhikari hugged Karki and stated that her family would vote for the 'Bell' symbol this time. 'I like the Bell. Our entire family has agreed to vote for the Bell, rest assured. You will win,' she said. Karki reassured her, saying, 'Mother, we stand for change. I have faith that you all will bless and vote for me again. I will not let your votes go to waste.'

Similarly, another female voter, around 45 years old, hugged Karki and said that due to the atrocities committed during the 'Gen-Z movement,' she would vote for the Bell for change this time, and for that, she had registered her name in the voter list by standing in line for the first time. She also shared that her entire family had agreed to vote for the Bell. Karki stated that the affection of the voters is what brought her back to the electoral field, and with their blessings, she would be committed to the development of this constituency in the coming days.

She committed to ending the tendency of running away from public questions, standing among the people to answer every question, and assured that RSP forms its policies and programs based on data and research, not just on hype. Karki urged voters to vote for her, promising to always raise her voice as a fearless and honest representative of Lalitpur residents, regardless of whether she is in parliament or the government.

Seeing the goodwill of the female voters, the leaders and cadres became excited and chanted slogans like 'What is the vote for? For the Bell!' Then the song 'Bell Tinini, Bell Tinini... Dance Finini...' was played. Candidate Karki and the voters danced. Almost all female voters seemed excited to vote for the Bell, and the process of dancing and taking selfies continued for a few minutes. Afterward, Karki asked for votes from the voters present around the junction. Some voters nodded in silent support, while others assured her of a change in their vote.

Addressing the voters via microphone at the same junction, Karki gave a five-minute speech about why they should vote for her and what she and the party would do if elected. She claimed that they differed from other parties in five aspects, stating they are honest, transparent, and accountable to the people.

She promised to be a fearless representative for the people of Lalitpur. Karki claimed that individuals associated with corruption are not in her party, asserting that RSP, despite being established only three years ago, has matured and established itself as a conscious and honest force capable of running the government.

She committed to ending the tendency of running away from public questions, standing among the people to answer every question, and assured that RSP forms its policies and programs based on data and research, not just on hype. Karki urged voters to vote for her, promising to always raise her voice as a fearless and honest representative of Lalitpur residents, regardless of whether she is in parliament or the government.

After the corner meeting concluded, Karki's door-to-door campaign moved forward. As her team moved on, we asked a young voter there, 'The RSP candidate gave a speech at the junction, have you decided who to vote for?' The young voter replied that the new ones are not entirely clean either, but if they act arbitrarily, the public will remove them from the streets. He expressed extreme disappointment with the old parties and leaders but claimed that voters are not fully convinced by the new ones either. He said, 'Everyone has scandals. The new ones also have scandals. No one is without scandals. Only about 10 percent of the new ones might be good. Therefore, I am thinking of voting based only on commitment and plan.'

In the previous election, Dr. Toshima Karki was elected with 31,136 votes. CPN-UML's Amrit Khadka came second with 12,963 votes, and the joint candidate of the Nepali Congress-Maoist alliance, Maoist Center leader Pampha Bhusal, was reduced to 8,769 votes.

Another voter added, 'The new forces that emerged as an alternative to the old parties have also not won 100 percent trust. Even those called new are not entirely clean.' He expressed concern that instability would persist no matter which party, new or old, forms the government, and stated that he would no longer vote blindly for anyone.

After that, we rejoined Karki's door-to-door campaign. As the leaders and cadres asked for votes for the Bell this time for change, many voters nodded their heads saying 'Yes.' Some assured her of their vote. During this process, a leading RSP cadre told one household, 'Vote for the new ones.' After the RSP cadre asked for votes, a voter inside the house questioned, 'What will they do by voting for the new ones? What is the new party's vision for building the nation? We elected them before, what did they do?' The RSP cadre immediately reassured the voter by saying, 'The new ones will complete all unfinished work, the country will be in the hands of RSP, they will bring out past corrupt individuals by forming the government, and solve problems related to unfinished roads, bridges, and drinking water.'

As the door-to-door campaign continued, there was a tea break at a tea stall near James School. While drinking tea, Sabina Timalsina, a voter from Aairawat Chowk area, asked Dr. Karki, 'Toshima Miss, will you bring roads and drinking water to our area?' She shared that roads were not built around her house and that the drinking water problem was severe. She said, 'We have built houses. Roads are pitched all around, but our area's road is not paved. The water problem is the biggest. I have been paying for drinking water for three years, but water has not reached my house yet. I haven't received water for the money I paid.'

She urged Karki to solve the road and drinking water problems in her area after being elected by casting her vote in the election. After listening to Timalsina's problem, Karki said, 'I heard your problem. I will do what I can. It is my responsibility to understand the problem there and get the road paved and manage the drinking water.'

In the previous election, Dr. Toshima Karki was elected with 31,136 votes. CPN-UML's Amrit Khadka came second with 12,963 votes, and the joint candidate of the Nepali Congress-Maoist alliance, Maoist Center leader Pampha Bhusal, was reduced to 8,769 votes.

This time, Karki is competing against Jitendra Shrestha, the District President of Nepali Congress, Sandan Thapa Magar of CPN-UML, and Rajkaji Maharjan from the Communist Party of Nepal.