Miscellaneous
Candidates must choose one election: UML
Citing a large number of leaders and cadres aspiring to fight the upcoming elections, the CPN-UML has decided to adopt a “one election, one candidate” policy which means candidates contesting the local polls cannot take part in provincial and federal elections.Citing a large number of leaders and cadres aspiring to fight the upcoming elections, the CPN-UML has decided to adopt a “one election, one candidate” policy which means candidates contesting the local polls cannot take part in provincial and federal elections. This provision bars the losers of the local level polls from vying for provincial and federal elections. A standing committee meeting of the second largest party on Monday took a decision to this effect.
Since the local polls are taking place after almost two decades, a large number of people are expected to run for seats at the local governments. The policy, according to UML leaders, will help the party manage its candidates.
The meeting decided to finalise all the candidates for the May 14 local polls by April 25. According to party Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai, the standing committee decided that the ward committees of the party should submit their nominations within April 13, the village councils, municipalities, sub-metropolitan cities and metropolitan cities should finalise their lists of candidates within April 17, the district committees by April 20, provincial committees by April 23.
The Standing Committee would finalise all of them by April 25.
The party has also formed a 15-member Local Level Election Manifesto Drafting Committee. The committee led by Vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam includes Asta Laxmi Shakya, Bhim Rawal, Bishnu Poudel, Ghanashyam Bhusal, Pradip Gyawali, Shankar Pokhrel, Surendra Pandey, Kiran Gurung, Puspa Kandel, Lalbabu Pandit, Binda Pande, Rabindra Adhikary, Raghubir Mahasheth and Lalbabu Yadav.
Another 15-member monitoring and coordination committee was also formed under the leadership of General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel. This committee has Prithvi Subba Gurung, Pradip Gyawali, Yogesh Bhattarai, Subas Nembang, Chhabilal Bishwokarma, Beduram Bhushal, Rajendra Pandey, Raghuji Panta, Bhanubhakta Dhakal, Agni Kharel, Banshidhar Mishra, Radha Gyawali, Krishna Gopal Shrestha and Ram Kumari Jhakri as members.
The party has directed all its central members and members of the central bodies and departments along with the Members of Parliament
to go to their respective constituencies to create favourable environment for the party’s candidates.
The central committee meeting of the party has been scheduled for April 16 to sum up the preparations for the local polls.