CPN-UML Candidate Milan Gurung Suffers Embarrassing Defeat and Forfeits Deposit in Gorkha-2 Election

Pokhara. CPN-UML fielded young leader Abdus Miyan in the 2079 elections from Gorkha-2, where he managed to secure only about 7,000 votes.

Then CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' won the election from here by securing more than 26,000 votes. After being elected from Gorkha, he was appointed Prime Minister. At that time, UML was preparing to field Milan Gurung alias 'Chakre Milan' from the constituency. However, UML stopped him citing technical reasons.

The then parliament did not last 5 years, and elections were held. Even so, UML had reported that they could win the election in Gorkha-2 if Chakre was given the ticket. The UML assessed that he would not only win the election from here but also influence surrounding areas like Lamjung to gather votes. But the result was the exact opposite; UML could not secure a win in any nearby area, and Chakre himself suffered a humiliating defeat.

Chakre received 4,000 fewer votes than Abdus received in the previous election. While the RSP candidate Kabindra Burlakoti won from here, Chakre received only 3,087 votes. According to election law, a candidate forfeits their deposit if they do not secure 10 percent of the total valid votes. Accordingly, Chakre's deposit was also forfeited. Dissatisfaction and opposition grew within the party after giving the ticket to Chakre, who is known as a gangster leader. However, Oli handed him the ticket and sent him.

'The reporting suggested that CPN was weak, that RSP would cut some votes from other parties, and that UML's old votes would remain intact, allowing Chakre to influence more votes,' said one leader, 'It was estimated that giving the ticket to Chakre would win Gorkha-2, its influence would improve Lamjung, and some votes would be added in Gorkha-1. Everything failed.'

The elected Burlakoti received nearly eight and a half times more votes than Chakre received. In Gorkha-2, the candidates from Nepali Congress and the Communist Party saved their deposits.