Dolpa Election: Brother Fails to Unseat Dominant Politician, Securing Only Third Place

Surkhet. Since the 2070s (Bikram Sambat), Dhan Bahadur Buda has held an undisputed reign in the Himalayan district of Dolpa. Dhan Bahadur, who won elections in 070 and 074 representing UML and in 079 representing CPN (Unified Socialist), achieved a 'hat-trick' this time, running as a candidate from the Nepali Communist Party.

Karna Bahadur Buda, Dhan Bahadur's own elder brother, entered the electoral arena, claiming he would break Dhan Bahadur's monopoly in Dolpa politics. Karna Bahadur, who previously contested and lost three times in 051 and 064 for RPP and as an independent in 056, was this time a candidate for the Nepali Congress.

Karna, who became the Joint General Secretary of the Congress after the special general convention, used to say, "I will break my brother's monopoly."

Speaking to Ratopati during the election campaign, Karna had said, "If he had done well in the district, I wouldn't have needed to contest the election. This time I will win the election and break my brother's dominance."

Karna's assertion was that Dhan Bahadur had only occupied the position and failed to ensure the proper development of Dolpa.

According to the vote count completed late Saturday night, Karna Bahadur not only failed to block his brother's parliamentary path but couldn't even come close in the competition.

While Dhan Bahadur won the election for the fourth time securing 6,802 votes, elder brother Karna Bahadur was limited to third place. Lank Bahadur Rokaya of the UML was the actual competitor for Dhan Bahadur, securing 5,396 votes for second place. Karna Bahadur finished third with only 2,947 votes.

Karna Bahadur, who claims that there are no brothers in politics, has a political background rooted in RPP for both brothers. Karna Bahadur joined the Congress in 076 BS. Prior to that, he was a central member of RPP.

After Karna Bahadur failed in three consecutive elections, his brother Dhan Bahadur forcefully emerged in Dolpa politics. However, in Dolpa, the influence of individuals often supersedes party ideology and principles, a benefit that Dhan Bahadur Buda's family and the Buda community have consistently enjoyed.

The Buda family and community constitute the majority in almost every party. Individuals from this community are the ones who win and lose in every election.

According to political activists in Dolpa, the Buda family has been involved in business since the past. Karna Bahadur mostly resided in Kathmandu, while Dhan Bahadur remained in the district, engaging in trade as well as the construction business.

For this reason, CPN-UML brought Dhan Bahadur, who was then in RPP, into the party and gave him the ticket for the 070 election.

He had joined CPN-UML only a short time before the election. In the 070 election, he won representing UML, securing 6,967 votes, while Satya Pahadi of Maoist received 2,774 votes.

In 074, Dhan Bahadur was re-elected with 11,761 votes as the joint candidate of the Left Alliance, defeating Congress's Angat Bahadur Buda. He also served as the Minister of State for Tourism when KP Oli became Prime Minister for the second time. After the split of UML, he joined the Unified Socialist Party.

In 079, contesting for the Unified Socialist Party, he was elected with 11,292 votes, receiving support from Maoist and Congress. Ganesh Bahadur Shahi of UML received 5,505 votes.

Dhan Bahadur is now known as a shrewd player in Dolpa's politics. The reason CPN fields Dhan Bahadur Buda is because they are confident he will secure his seat, which he does.