Tarechauri village of Gaushala Municipality-11 in Mahottari wears a deserted look these days. Most of its inhabitants are busy campaigning for the upcoming local elections in neighbouring areas.

The pre-election mood has caught on Tarechauri electors, but their village suggests otherwise. Hardly any party flags, election pamphlets, or posters are noticeable in the village. The whole village is rallying behind its ward chairman candidate, Chitra Bahadur Jargha, organising a doorstep campaign in neighbouring villages. “All of us are voting for Chitra Bahadur, so there is no need of publicity in our village. What we are really after is to generate support from the voters in other villages,” a Tarechauri local said. Fifty-six families from the Magar and the Bhote communities reside in Tarechauri, which is nearly 55km away from Jaleshwor, the district headquarters of Mahottari.

Chitra Bahadur is the first ever person from Tarechauri to run for public office, and he apparently commands 100 per cent support from the voters in his village. “We want him to win and work for the development of the area,” said Jyoti Lumre, a 25-year-old supporter of Chitra Bahadur.

He and his wife are regulars at Chitra Bahadur’s election rallies. Tarechauri lags far behind in terms of health service, education and employment. The villagers hope all that can be improved if one of their own were to be elected in the local body. 

 “We asked Chitra Bahadur to file his candidacy. We believe that to develop our village, we must have someone in public office whom we know closely,” said Khub Bahadur Ale, another villager.

There are about 200 voters in Tarechauri. Chitra Bahadur will need support of far more voters to win the election, and his fellow villagers seem to be making sure of that.