National
Large number of youngsters participate in Chitwan polls
Chitwan witnessed a large number of young voters in Sunday’s local elections. Many of them were exercising their franchise for the first time while even those people who sat out the Constituent Assembly elections of 2008 and 2013 turned up to vote.Chitwan witnessed a large number of young voters in Sunday’s local elections. Many of them were exercising their franchise for the first time while even those people who sat out the Constituent Assembly elections of 2008 and 2013 turned up to vote.
They queued up at their polling centres from early morning to elect their local representatives.
Usha and Asha Sapkota, sisters from Bharatpur Metropolis-4 in Chitwan, cast their votes for the first time. The line of voters at a local school ground was long and barely moving but the sisters did not seem to mind.
“I hope the people will make informed decision when they vote and that the elected officials will work towards improvement and development of Bharatpur Metropolis,” said 22-year-old Asha.
“The winning candidates should try to win the people’s hearts,” chimed in her elder sister, 23-year-old Usha.
Over the years Chitwan has emerged as one of the fastest-developing districts of the country. Besides, farming, fisheries and poultries, the district is also the centre for medical research and treatment. The voters in Chitwan want to see their place develop at even more rapid pace. They had been eagerly waiting for Sunday’s elections, it was their chance at electing the representatives from and for their areas after a gap of 20 years.
The country had last held the local level elections in 1997. Twenty-two-year-old Namrata Subedi said she and many of her friends were excited to vote for local representatives. She feels that this election is more than putting a certain political party at the local governing seat.
“I have come here to cast my vote for the candidates that I deem competent for the jobs they are running. So I am not voting for one particular party, it’s the candidates that matter. I hope my vote does not go wasted and that Bharatpur becomes the city that I dream of,” she said.
There are five municipalities, one village council and one metropolis in Chitwan.