Jagdish Kharel of Rastriya Swatantra Party Wins Lalitpur-2 Seat, Breaking Decades-Long Electoral Pattern
Kathmandu. Jagdish Kharel of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has been elected in Lalitpur-2. Kharel, who served as the Minister for Communications and Information Technology in the government led by Sushila Karki, resigned from his ministerial post, joined the RSP, and secured the ticket for the House of Representatives from Lalitpur-2.
Kharel was elected by securing 39,491 votes, while his closest competitor, Prem Krishna Maharjan, received only 7,420 votes.
Kharel's victory in this constituency marks a 'record break'. In the seven elections held in Lalitpur-2 from 2048 BS to 2079 BS, the elected representatives and the closest rivals were consistently from the same caste and two surnames. From 2048 BS to 2079 BS, candidates other than Maharjan and Shakya had neither been elected nor become the closest rivals. However, Kharel has now broken that record.
In the previous seven elections since 2048 BS, CPN-UML won five elections, while Nepali Congress and Maoist each won one.
In the 2048 BS election, UML candidate Siddhilal Singh Maharjan was elected, and the closest rival was Congress candidate Marshaljulum Shakya.
In 2051 BS, Siddhilal from UML won again, with Congress candidate Chandra Maharjan becoming the closest rival. According to the Election Commission records, in the 2056 BS election, UML candidate Krishnalal Maharjan won, and Congress candidate Jagatram Shakya was the closest rival.
In the first Constituent Assembly election of 2064 BS, this constituency slipped out of UML's grasp. Then Maoist candidate Rajkaji Maharjan won the election, with Congress candidate Chandra Maharjan as the closest rival. UML came third.
In the second Constituent Assembly election held in 2070 BS, Congress opened its account for the first time since 2048 BS. Congress candidate Chandra Maharjan secured the victory on his third attempt, while the Maoist candidate Saroj Singh was the closest rival.
In the 2074 BS election, UML reversed its defeat from 2064 BS and 2070 BS. UML candidate Krishnalal Maharjan secured his second victory, with Congress candidate Chandra Maharjan as the closest rival.
In the 2079 BS House of Representatives election, UML candidate Prem Bahadur Maharjan was elected, and the candidate from Hamro Nepali Party, Sudin Shakya, was the closest rival.
Ramkrishna Chitrakar, a Congress leader and Bagmati Province assembly member and resident of this constituency, had told Ratopati before the election that those elected and closest rivals up to 2079 BS were not outside the Shakya and Maharjan groups. 'Since 2048 BS, there is no history in the House of Representatives election here where someone other than Shakya and Maharjan within the Newar caste has won or become the closest rival,' Chitrakar told Ratopati. 'Regardless of the party, candidates from Shakya and Maharjan won or were the closest rivals.'
The area includes Mahalakshmi Municipality and Wards 6, 9, 11, 12, 16, 17, and 19 of Lalitpur Metropolitan City. Locals say that the Newar community, particularly the Shakya and Maharjan surnames, have a high concentration there.
Considering this factor, Congress and UML nominated Maharjans for the House of Representatives election held on Falgun 21. UML nominated Prem Bahadur Maharjan, who won the House of Representatives seat in 2079 BS, while Congress nominated Prem Krishna Maharjan.
However, Kharel created a new record by breaking history in this election. A total of 23 candidates, including 7 independents, contested in Lalitpur-2.
This specific news has been automatically translated by AI. As a result, there may be some inaccuracies or language errors.
