Nepali Congress MP Bharat Khadka Elected Unopposed as Public Accounts Committee Chair

Kathmandu. Bharat Khadka, a Member of Parliament from the main opposition party, the Nepali Congress, has been elected unopposed as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives. Khadka's candidacy was proposed by Mohan Acharya and seconded by Janakraj Giri. He was the sole candidate to file a nomination during the time allotted by the Federal Parliament Secretariat on Thursday.

Committee member Yogesh Gauchan Thakali informed Ratopati that it was announced during Friday's committee meeting that Khadka had been elected unopposed.  

The ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party had decided to support the main opposition party for the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee. Khadka was elected unopposed due to the Rastriya Swatantra Party's majority in the committee and the support of opposition parties for the Congress candidate. 

Khadka, who was directly elected from Doti, is a veteran politician. 

Born in 2014 BS in Phulaut, Purvichauki Rural Municipality-1, Doti, Bharat Bahadur Khadka began his political career in 2032 BS with the Nepal Students Union, the student wing of the Congress. 

Khadka, who campaigned for the multi-party system in the 2036 BS referendum, became the Pradhan Panch of the former Khirsain Village Panchayat at the age of 23 following the 2039 BS village panchayat elections. After becoming the Chairman of the Doti District Panchayat in 2044 BS, Khadka entered Congress politics following the restoration of the multi-party system. In 2049 BS, he was elected Vice-Chairman of the District Development Committee, Doti. 

In 2054 BS, Khadka was elected Chairman of the District Development Committee, Doti. He remained in power even after the establishment of the republican system following the 2062/063 BS People's Movement. 

Khadka was elected as a member of the second Constituent Assembly in 2070 BS under the proportional representation system. In the 2074 BS elections, he was elected as a member of the Provincial Assembly from Doti-1 (A). Khadka defeated the then-Left Alliance candidate Chakra Bahadur Malla by 614 votes, securing 17,406 votes against Malla's 16,792 votes. 

Khadka, who became a Central Committee member of the Congress during the special convention held last Poush, was sent to Doti as a candidate by General Secretary Gagan Thapa. He won the election to become an MP, securing 14,897 votes, while his closest rival, Deepak Bahadur Dhami of the UML, received 14,110 votes.