Som Sharma, Elected Representative from Baglung Constituency 2, Discusses Experiences and Commitments

Kathmandu. Social activist Som Sharma is the elected Member of Parliament from Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Baglung Constituency No. 2. Born in Baglung Municipality-12, he has been advocating for good governance and inclusive development.

He won by securing 12,647 votes. His closest rival, Tekraj Poudel of the Nepali Congress, received 11,868 votes. Here is the conversation Narendra Rauli had with Sharma for Rato Pati's 'Saansad Sangha' column:

What is the experience like after becoming a Member of Parliament, having been an activist?

I myself am a victim of the Janji movement. I was injured by a bullet in my leg during the movement. We have entered the parliament with the dream of providing justice to the martyrs and the injured. We must not forget the spirit and essence of the reason for the Janji movement and the elections. We need to work towards institutionalizing the Janji movement for long-term justice.

Especially, the area I was elected from, Baglung Constituency No. 2, is considered remote by the state and has been neglected. We need to work in a way that highlights that place as special. We need to inform the government and make the parliament hear. There is a need to highlight the potential of that area, stating that it is not remote but full of possibilities. We are engaged in this.

What role will you play in fulfilling the agendas that were raised during the Janji movement?

One of the main agendas of the Janji movement was good governance. Our government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy on good governance. The government has already started by stating that it will not hesitate for a minute to punish those who make mistakes.

When questions arose about our own ministers, they were removed from their responsibilities. We should take that positively. And that is a start for good governance. Along with that, we are gradually trying to improve the delivery problems faced by the general public and the social justice issues of favoring only one's own circle.

The voices raised during the Janji movement were for good governance, social justice, an end to corruption, the right to live in Nepal, and the assurance of opportunities. The government is continuously working on these. We are moving forward hand in hand.

What were your main commitments before the election?

The constituency from which I have been elected is geographically somewhat remote. Since that area is far from education, health, connectivity, and services provided by state bodies, it should no longer be neglected by the state. Despite being remote, the state must address it specially. This was a commitment.

The state's presence will now be strong and firm. We committed to institutionalizing the demands of the Janji movement. There were many other commitments, but I specifically went to the public seeking votes based on these two commitments. I am currently working towards them.

Until now, those who have been in power have always used us as a shield for votes. We were fed up with the tendency of people coming to ask for votes, forgetting all their promises once they reached higher positions. That is why we have come to work differently, in the way of the new generation.

We went to the public seeking votes, saying that even honest, capable individuals can become politicians. They believed us and elected us. We are in the process of fulfilling the commitments for which we were elected.

What work will you do during your tenure?

The most important thing is to work on health, education, and connectivity. We have declared good governance as 'zero tolerance'. We must be very serious and ruthless regarding good governance. We need to reform the state's structures, which are facing various questions. For this, we need to formulate policies seriously. We are working day and night for this, we have been working, and we will continue to work.

What would you like to say to the people of your constituency?

The love, trust, hope, dreams, and votes you cast in the ballot box will not go to waste. That vote was not just a vote, but hope, dreams, and trust. We are trying to address the issues of the people gradually. It is not possible to fulfill everything at once. Work is being done gradually. We are not residents of a remote area; we are residents of a special place. We are not residents of a backward area. We have become somewhat distant because the state has not looked after us, has not wanted to, and has not shown the will. We will work day and night to ensure that the children there can study well in schools and that areas like health are improved. We will work day and night.

For normal medical treatment, the citizens there have to travel far, some to Butwal, some to Pokhara. There have been incidents where lives were lost prematurely due to the time and distance involved in these 5-6 hour journeys. To prevent such suffering, we plan to expand good quality health services. The services and facilities that should be received from state bodies are very inconvenient. The hassle that ordinary citizens have to go through to receive services from state bodies will also end. We will work specifically on this. Rest assured.

Now is the time for us to make history by working. We need your support, cooperation, and suggestions. Please hold us accountable if we do wrong. We want to serve the people day and night without rest.