Okhaldhunga Residents Boycott General Election Demanding Promised Hospital Construction

Biratnagar. Residents of Ward 7 of Maneybhanjyang Rural Municipality in Okhaldhunga have boycotted the general election in protest of the failure to fulfill their demand for a hospital. Not a single local voter cast a ballot at the Satisalle polling center in the ward during the House of Representatives election held on Thursday.

Since the locals collectively boycotted the election at the center, which has 701 registered voters, only the 4 election staff (temporary voters) cast their votes. After the staff voted, the ballot box was sealed.

According to locals, they had voluntarily transferred over 165 ropanis of land in the name of the provincial government for the construction of a provincial-level hospital. However, as years have passed without the start of hospital construction, the angry locals decided not to vote as a form of pressure.

They had formally decided to boycott the election in a meeting on Falgun 18. The District Administration Office and the Election Commission were informed about this decision beforehand. At another polling center in the same ward, Harkapur Secondary School, 576 voters cast their ballots.

Upon learning of the situation, an administrative and security team led by Mekh Bahadur Mangrati reached the polling center and attempted to persuade the locals. However, the locals remained gathered outside the polling center in groups and refused to enter. They also monitored the area themselves to ensure no voter went to cast their vote.

Even cadres who previously campaigned under various political party flags appeared united this time in the boycott campaign demanding development. 'We gave land hoping a hospital would be built, but the government hasn't laid even a single brick. We have decided not to cast our votes against this government apathy,' one local stated.