CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has announced to contest the next federal parliamentary election from Chitwan. This is the first time Dahal announced to contest elections form his home town. 

The Maoist Centre chairman had contested in the two Constituent Assembly (CA) elections from Kathmandu, Rolpa and Siraha. 

“The party has decided to field me [Dahal] to contest elections from Chitwan,” said Dahal speaking at an interaction organised in Chitwan on Friday. “However, the constituency has not been decided. I will run for the election from one of the constituencies.”

Dahal, who led a decade-long armed conflict before joining the peaceful politics, expressed his confidence that the voters of Chitwan will welcome him in the district. “I believe the people of Chitwan will be happy and proud when I come here as a leader of the party that effected a change in the national politics,” said Dahal.  

He made it clear that he had never downplayed Chitwan and that he decided to return to Chitwan after taking experience from different places.  “I have never understated Chitwan, I have always been casting my vote from Chitwan ever since I joined the peace process. I stood in the elections from different places to get the experiences.”

Dahal said that his party had to forge alliance with Nepali Congress in the local level elections though he is in favour of forging electoral alliance with leftist forces. He added that his party will prioritise alliance with NC in the upcoming elections as well.