National
Bibeksheel set to field candidates in five districts
Spurred by an impressive performance in the first phase of local level elections, the Bibeksheel Nepali Party (BNP) is gearing up to file candidacy from a few local units in the second round of polls scheduled for June 28.Chandan Kumar Mandal
Spurred by an impressive performance in the first phase of local level elections, the Bibeksheel Nepali Party (BNP) is gearing up to file candidacy from a few local units in the second round of polls scheduled for June 28.
The BNP said it would field candidates in five districts—Jhapa, Morang, Bara, Rupandehi and Kanchanpur.
The Sajha Party (SP), another newcomer in the Nepali political landscape, however, remains undecided on contesting the second round of elections. The party, led by the former BBC journalist Rabindra Mishra, said the party was focused on organisation building at the moment.
According to Bibeksheel Spokesperson Ramesh Paudyal, the party has finalised its candidates for Damak in Jhapa and Kerabari in Morang, whereas the candidate selection is under way for the rest of the local level units. “Despite having positive response in the first phase of elections, we are focusing on limited municipalities and village councils this time,” said Paudyal, adding, “Nepali people have seen the BNP as a reliable alternative force.”
Bibeksheel had fielded nine candidates—a mayor, four ward chiefs and as many ward members in Kathmandu Metropolitan City—in the first round of local elections held on May 14. Ranju Darshana Neupane, the BNP’s mayoral candidate in Kathmandu, had garnered 23,439 votes to finish a respectable third place in the race behind eventual winner Bidhya Sundar Shakya of the CPN-UML (64,913) and Raju Raj Joshi of the Nepali Congress (45,269).
“We are following open candidate policy that allows anyone, even outside of our party with faith in our vision and ideals, to contest an election on our behalf,” Paudyal explained.
Sajha’s Spokesperson Surya Raj Acharya said the party was working on its organisation and might not contest the second round of polls. The party is holding countrywide discussion programmes to inform the public about its vision and goals.
“People across the country have shown faith in our party. They want us to contest the second elections too,” said Acharya.
“But as we are not registered formally, we cannot take part in the elections as a party.”
Sajha had missed the party registration deadline for the first phase of local elections. As a result, its four candidates had contested the previous election as independent candidates from Kathmandu and Lalitpur.
It had fielded former secretary Kishore Thapa and Nirupama Yadav in the race for mayor and deputy mayor respectively in Kathmandu Metropolis as independent candidates. It had pitched Ramesh Maharjan as the mayoral candidate in Lalitpur Metropolis, with Shobha Shakya as his running mate.
Acharya has, however, dropped a hint that the SP might throw its weight behind one or two independent candidates in the upcoming polls. “We haven’t decided on that yet,” he said.
The party had received requests for candidacies from almost three dozen districts, Acharya said.
“We are overwhelmed by the number of people willing to contest the elections as independent candidates on our behalf.”
However, he said it would take an exhaustive process for background checks on prospective candidates with “clean image, strong faith in our vision and be an ideal candidate for the post”.