Sudurpashchim Provincial Assembly Member Prakash Deuba Remains Abroad for Seven Months, Raising Concerns

Dhangadhi. Former Sudurpashchim Province Minister and Provincial Assembly member elected from Kailali Constituency 5 (2), Prakash Deuba, has migrated to the United States following the 'Gen-Z' movement last Bhadra.

Speculations have begun as he has not returned even after approximately seven months of being in the US. Voters in Kailali-5(2) are expressing concern that their representative, who should be raising regional issues in the Provincial Assembly, has fled abroad.

'We have not seen the face of the leader we elected for seven months,' said Karan Singh Rana, a local of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City-3.

Rana, who earns a living through manual labor, says that the leader elected from his constituency to the Provincial Assembly should stand by the people in their times of joy and sorrow.

'The monsoon is approaching, and we have a major problem with flooding in our area. The roads are not well-managed,' he said, 'Our neighborhood lacks drinking water facilities.'

During the election, Deuba had promised to transform Dhangadhi and even floated attractive dreams of running a monorail. While serving as the provincial Minister of Physical Infrastructure, he allocated a budget for the expansion of Dhangadhi's main road, and the road was built. However, his sudden departure abroad has increased interest among voters in the region.

He flew to the US quietly amidst the 'Gen-Z' movement. Since then, he has not returned to Sudurpashchim. With a sitting MP remaining out of the country for seven months, neither his party, the Nepali Congress, nor the Provincial Assembly Secretariat has official information.

The prolonged absence has increased the risk of Deuba losing his parliamentary seat. According to Article 193 of the Sudurpashchim Provincial Assembly Regulations 2080, if any member is absent from 10 consecutive meetings without notice, their position will be vacated. Seven meetings of the Provincial Assembly have already been held since Deuba's absence. If he remains absent for three more meetings, his parliamentary seat will be legally in jeopardy.

'It is heard that he is in America, but he is not in contact with the party. He did not give formal information to anyone when he left. We do not have much information either,' said a Congress leader.

Recently, travel abroad by members of the Deuba family has become very frequent. Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife Arzu Rana Deuba are currently in Hong Kong. They reached Hong Kong after receiving medical treatment in Singapore.

Injured in an attack by protesters at their Budhanilkantha residence during the 'Gen-Z' movement in Bhadra, the Deuba couple has been traveling abroad repeatedly for treatment since then. His son, Jaiveer Singh Deuba, has been abroad for a long time, while another nephew, Bhanu Deuba, has just returned home from Singapore.