Voters in Kathmandu Constituencies 6, 7, and 8 Weigh Change Against Incumbents as Election Day Nears

Kathmandu. Only three days remain until the election. All political parties have concluded their election rallies and door-to-door campaigns in their respective constituencies. The process of soliciting votes from the electorate is also complete. In the upcoming election, a wave of alternative new political parties is visible across the country compared to the established political entities.

In the 2079 House of Representatives election, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) secured victories in four out of the fifteen constituencies in the Kathmandu Valley. Among them, Sobita Gautam won in Kathmandu-2, Shishir Khanal in Kathmandu-6, Ganesh Parajuli in Kathmandu-7, and Birajbhakta Shrestha in Kathmandu-8, all representing RSP. The party appears to be striving for re-election in all four constituencies it won.

However, voters in the Kathmandu Valley have a history of changing their votes in every election. Rarely have candidates managed to win consecutively in most Kathmandu constituencies. Therefore, there is growing curiosity as to whether voters in Kathmandu constituencies 6, 7, and 8 will re-elect RSP or change their mandate in the upcoming election. Ratopati conducted on-site reporting among voters in these three constituencies on this matter.

Triangular Contest in Kathmandu-6

Ratopati's team reached Loktantrik Chowk in Tokha Municipality-10 around 6 PM on Sunday. Ten youths were discussing election-related matters at the intersection. Their consensus was, 'All candidates in Kathmandu-6 are good. It will be a triangular fight. It is uncertain who will emerge victorious.'

One participant in the discussion stated that UML would win in constituency number 6 this time. He mentioned that UML had fielded a strong candidate, making their chances of winning look solid. However, another person present claimed that RSP would win, as most people favor new faces. He said, 'There is a wave for RSP. My vote will also go there. There is a possibility of winning due to the wave.'

Almost everyone met at the intersection was considering voting for different parties. Thus, some were claiming that the Nepali Congress would win. It was natural for them to claim victory for the party they intended to vote for, leading to some lighthearted banter.

Similarly, 35-year-old Shakuntala Devkota from Lamabagar, Tokha Municipality-8, said she would vote in favor of change this time. She mentioned that although she hadn't finalized whom to vote for, she planned to vote for a new face. She said, 'All candidates in Kathmandu-6 are good. So, it's uncertain whom to give the vote to. RSP won last time, and Shishir Khanal is also good. UML also has good people. We will know on the 21st.' She added that she plans to vote for whoever solves the road and drinking water problems.

Likewise, 36-year-old Sita Jammarkatel from Lamabagar, Tokha Municipality-8, also stated her plan to vote for change. Jammarkatel said, 'The vote will go to the side of change. Everyone talks about new faces; there is hope that the new ones might do something. Most candidates are good. We will know on the 21st.'

Sushma Shrestha from Tokha Municipality-8 shared a similar sentiment. She also indicated a plan to change her vote this time. She said, 'Candidates from all parties have come to ask for votes. But there is hope that the new ones will do something. So, I am preparing to vote for a new face. RSP won previously; I am considering giving it to them again.'

Yubaraj Basnet, 51, met in Manmaiju, Tokha-10, was excited to vote for the first time. When we tried to talk to him, he excitedly shared that he was voting for the first time in his life and intended to vote for a new face. He said he would vote for a new face because he had observed the old political parties for a long time and now felt hope that the new ones might achieve something.

He said, 'I lived abroad for a long time and couldn't vote. Now that I have returned to live in Nepal, I am going to vote. I am excited. I expect my vote to change the country. All party candidates are good, but I plan to vote for the best among the good ones.' He noted that a good triangular contest was expected in this constituency. Basnet stated that he planned to vote for change rather than any specific party. 'If those who won in the past had done something for the country, Nepalis wouldn't have to go abroad now,' he remarked.

Krishna Prasad Mishra, about 77, from Tokha-10, appeared weary of elections and politicians. He lamented that his sons and daughters had to go abroad because they couldn't find employment in the country, leaving him alone. 'If the old parties and leaders had done something within Nepal, our children would be in the homeland today. Because leaders did nothing domestically, our children have to go to foreign lands today,' he said. 'I have looked at all parties. The new ones won't do anything either. The old ones were also new in the past. All parties are the same; voting for anyone won't change anything. Those who burned the country are now carrying bells. They won't do anything either.'

In Kathmandu-6, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have fielded new faces as candidates. However, RSP has fielded its previously elected candidate for re-election. Shishir Khanal, who won the 2079 House of Representatives election, is again the candidate from RSP. He is the incumbent Member of Parliament. However, Krishna Subaj Baniya from Congress, Aman Kumar Maske from UML, and Uddhavraj Bhetwal from Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) are all new competitors. Himal Sharma, the candidate from the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN), is contesting for the second time; he was a candidate in this constituency in 2070 BS.

A total of 20 candidates, including 15 from political parties and 5 independents, are in the electoral field in this constituency. Based on the votes received in the last election, RSP is the leading force in this area. RSP secured the first position in both first-past-the-post and proportional representation categories. Khanal of RSP won the last election by securing 14,221 votes. Sarvendra Khanal, the candidate from UML, received 8,917 votes. Bhimsendas Pradhan of Congress came third with 8,812 votes. In the proportional representation category, RSP received the highest number of votes with 11,996, while UML received 8,019 and Congress received 7,577 votes.

This constituency comprises Wards 26, 27, and 28 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City; Wards 1, 8, 9, 10, and 11 of Tokha Municipality; and Wards 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 of Tarkeshwor Municipality.

Parajuli in Kathmandu-7 Relies on Ward 16 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City

Voters' opinions in Kathmandu-7 were mixed. Ward 16 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the largest ward in this constituency, falls within this area. RSP won the by-election held in this ward. However, different reactions were received from the voters in this constituency. Rupak Acharya, 45, from Sitapaila, Kathmandu-16, stated that he would vote in favor of change this time as well. He mentioned that he voted for RSP in the previous House of Representatives and local level by-elections, and his family's votes are planned to go there this time too.

He said, 'We have observed the old parties for a long time, so we will vote for the new ones. We will vote for the new party that brings change and has zeal and vision. We will change our vote this time.' He added that he hopes to vote for RSP to complete the work that hasn't been done in this constituency in the past.

Conversely, another voter from Kathmandu-16, Radhyasundar Shrestha, expressed a different view. He said he would vote for UML this time. He shared his plan to vote for the sun symbol to save the nation and build a prosperous Nepal.

He said, 'This is a fight between those who run the country and those who build the country. We must vote for those who build the country. Even though RSP won last time, no work was done. People's problems remain the same. Now, we must elect Prakash Shrestha of UML. There is hope that something will happen with him.'

From Kathmandu-16, we reached Nagargun Municipality-3. Election discussions were ongoing at a small tea stall in the area. When we arrived, most people discussing the election were those who were going outside the district to vote. Knowing that tea stalls often have good local knowledge, we asked the tea stall owner, 'What is the atmosphere like in Kathmandu-7?' The owner replied, 'The wave for the bell (RSP) is not very visible in this area right now. It was good before. But now, the Ujyalo Nepal Party seems to have more visibility than the bell.'

A short distance from the tea stall, we met Tilak Bahadur Khadka, about 40 years old. We asked if we could discuss the election with him. He directly replied that he would vote for the Nepali Congress. We asked, 'Why Nepali Congress? The wave seems to be for RSP.'

Regarding this, he said, 'We get to vote for the tree (Congress symbol) in Kathmandu-7 after 12 years. That's why we will vote for the changed Congress. The bell (RSP) won last time but did nothing in this area. They only talked.'

Ramprasad Guragai from Nagargun Municipality-3 shared a similar view. He said he planned to vote for Congress because RSP didn't accomplish anything after winning. He mentioned that although he had always voted for Congress, he hadn't been able to vote for them for a long time, and now he gets to vote for the tree in Kathmandu-7 after 12 years.

He said, 'We must elect Congress in Kathmandu-7 this time. We didn't see RSP doing any work after winning. Problems with roads, drinking water, and drainage remain the same. I won't vote for those who always talk big but do nothing.' He added that he plans to elect someone who will amend laws in a timely manner.

We reached Nagargun Municipality-3 in Kathmandu-7. Some youths were found discussing the election while sitting at the intersection. We joined their conversation. After listening to them, we asked, 'Whom are you thinking of voting for this time?'

Santosh Alemagar, 35, who participated in the election discussion, said he would vote for Congress in Kathmandu-7. He mentioned that although he had always voted for Congress, he hadn't been able to vote for them for a long time, so he was thinking of voting for Congress now. He said, 'In Kathmandu-7, there are experienced, educated candidates. RSP won last time but didn't work.' He claimed that Congress would win in seven despite the current wave favoring new faces. He stressed the need to vote thoughtfully rather than just following the wave.

Shukra Nagarkoti, about 36, met in Nagargun-2, shared a similar opinion. He also said he would vote for Congress. He said, 'They say the old ones didn't work. But even when the new ones won, they didn't work in this area. Congress is the one that will change the country too.' He stated that one should vote for a leader who is development-oriented rather than just a new face.

In Kathmandu-7, Pramod Hari Guragai is the candidate from Nepali Congress, Prakash Shrestha from UML, Ganesh Parajuli from RSP, and Basanta Manandhar from the Communist Party of Nepal. Parajuli of RSP is in the electoral field for a second victory. Congress has fielded a new candidate in this constituency; Guragai is contesting for the first time. Shrestha from UML and Manandhar from CPN resigned from the Provincial Assembly to contest.

There are 27 candidates in the race for Kathmandu-7, including 17 from political parties and 10 independents. Among the four major forces, Congress and RSP have non-Newar candidates, while UML and CPN have candidates from the Newar community.

Parajuli of RSP won this constituency in the previous election. In the 2079 election, RSP candidate Parajuli won by securing 8,743 votes. He defeated the UML candidate Shyam Kumar Ghimire, who received 6,800 votes, while Manushi Yami Bhattarai of CPN (Maoist Centre) came third with 6,063 votes. In the proportional representation category, RSP received the highest number of votes with 10,588, while UML received 6,299 and Congress received 5,040 votes.

This constituency includes Wards 16, 17, 18, and 25 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City; Wards 1, 2, and 3 of Nagargun Municipality; and Wards 3, 4, and 5 of Tarkeshwor Municipality. Among these, Ward-16 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City has the highest number of voters. RSP won the local level by-election held in Ward 16.

Challenge for Birajbhakta in Kathmandu-8 Too

Shrestha faces a challenge in the upcoming election. The competition in this constituency appears to be very tight. The opinions of the voters in this area were gathered. We reached Ward 5, Nagargun Municipality, in Kathmandu-8. Ram Bhakta Nepali, about 51 years old, was operating a machine. We asked, 'Namaste Sir, can I talk to you?' He replied, 'Yes, Sir, please ask.'

We asked, 'How long have you been doing tailoring work?' He replied, 'It's been a long time, son, I have been doing this work since I was young until now.' We asked him, 'The election is near, have leaders come to ask for votes?' He replied, 'What election? Whomever we vote for, our suffering remains the same.' He mentioned having a drinking water problem and that whoever wins will not return.

He said, 'Those who won last time haven't returned yet. No development has taken place either. I heard they are contesting again now, but I won't vote. We also looked at the new faces in the previous election, but the new ones haven't done anything for us, he said. He stated he would not vote for the bell (RSP) and was preparing to vote for RPP.

Similarly, Kopila Nepali, met in Nagargun-5, also complained about the lack of work. Her view was, 'No one works; it doesn't seem like anything will happen no matter whom we vote for.' She said, 'There is a drinking water problem. There is also a road problem. No one has solved these problems.'

Saroj Khadki, met near Nagargun Municipality, said he would vote for a leader who understands development and people's problems rather than new faces. He shared that he voted for RSP last time and plans to change his vote this time.

He said, 'Inflation is rising. The public is bearing the brunt of it. But just voting for leaders doesn't change anything. All the youth have to go abroad. Even after electing new faces, job creation hasn't happened yet.'

Purna Bahadur Sunuwar, who was with Khadki, also expressed dissatisfaction with both new and old parties. He said that the new ones only worked for their own advancement. He said, 'We voted for the bell (RSP) last time. This time, we plan to change our vote. We haven't finalized whom to give it to, but we will change our vote.'

After talking with Sunuwar, we came down a bit and met Maiya KC, 87, basking in the sun on the footpath. When I met her and asked, 'Aama (Mother), the election is here, will you vote?' The mother's reply was, 'Yes, I will vote, son. This time I will vote for the bell.' She said, 'I voted for the bell in the last election too. I will vote for the bell again this time. The candidate came and asked for votes. I will give it to him.'

When asked if she knew the bell's candidate, she said she didn't. She mentioned that her son knew the candidate and that the bell was the party that supported the elderly.

Similarly, Ramkaji Shrestha, a voter from Nagargun-6, shared the same sentiment as Maiya Aama. He also said he would vote for the bell again as he did in the last election.

He said, 'I will vote for the bell. This time there is a wave for new faces. I voted for them last time too. But leaders don't work for the people. They don't return after winning the election.'

In Kathmandu-8, the candidates from the 2079 election are facing each other again this time. In the previous election, RSP's Birajbhakta Shrestha was victorious with 10,112 votes. He is again the candidate from RSP this time. He was challenged by Suman Saymi, the candidate from the then-Hamro Nepali Party, who secured 6,179 votes. Saymi has changed parties this time and is a candidate from the Communist Party of Nepal.

In the last election, Jeevan Ram Shrestha, a leader of the then CPN (Unified Socialist), came third in Kathmandu-8, securing 4,881 votes from this constituency. This time, the Unified Socialist has merged with the then CPN (Maoist Centre) to form the Communist Party of Nepal. Since the two parties have merged, the CPN's vote count appears higher based on the previous election's votes. The competition between Shrestha and Saymi is expected to continue this time.

Sapana Rajbhandari is contesting from Nepali Congress. She is the wife of the late leader Nabin Raj Joshi. In 2079, she was elected as a proportional representation MP from the indigenous tribal community. Rajesh Shakya is the candidate for UML in Constituency No. 8. He was a member of the Bagmati Provincial Assembly in 2074. He won the 2079 Provincial Assembly election by defeating Nepali Congress's Rajyalaxmi Shrestha by a margin of 1,774 votes. Rabin Shahi from RPP is also contesting in this constituency.

In the last election in this constituency, RPP's Prakash Rimal received 4,388 votes. Similarly, 22 candidates, including Bandana Shrestha of Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party (NWPP) and Rajan Khadgi of Ujyalo Nepal Party, are in the competition. Kathmandu-8 has 57,811 voters, with 23 polling stations and 65 polling centers.