With the first phase of federal parliament and provincial assembly elections now over, the left alliance of the CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre) has turned its attention to the constituency-based programme, ratcheting up door-to-door campaigns. The second phase of elections is scheduled to be held in 45 districts on December 7.

Poll contestants, coupled with influential leaders and party cadres, are busy meeting the public and promoting their election agenda. As well as reaching out to the public, leaders of the left alliance are urging the party cadres and local level leaders to ensure that the leadership’s decision of forging electoral alliance and merging the two parties post election is perceived in the right spirit. 

“Door-to-door campaign and constituency-based events have always been useful going into the last leg of election campaign,” said Bishnu Rimal, spokesperson for the CPN-UML Central Election Mobilisation Committee. 

All the party leaders, Rimal said, have focused their attention towards their respective constituencies with the contestants of the phase-1 elections reaching out to other constituencies to galvanise public support in favour of the alliance.   

According to a Maoist Centre leader, influential leaders will be touring constituencies that are considered to be rival stronghold. “The party has been mobilising influential leaders to make inroads into strategically important constituencies to achieve the goal of two-thirds majority,” said the leader, requesting anonymity. 

Apart from door-to-door and constituency-based events, the alliance is also charting out plans to hold mass gatherings to be addressed by UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who has not addressed a mass event since the death of his son Prakash on November 19. 

The left alliance has also been using social and digital media more aggressively. According to Rimal, the number of major cities in the second phase of polls is higher compared with that of first phase of polls which is why focus in the social and digital media has been increased. The alliance has set up a dedicated social and digital media team to scan information making the rounds on the digital medium and use it as propaganda tool.    

Meanwhile, the left alliance has decided to concentrate on tightening the grip amongst the cadres and general public as the rival Nepali Congress has begun a process to consolidate democratic forces ahead of the second phase of polls. 

“We won’t make strategic changes. The alliance is in a comfortable position and all our efforts will be to keep it intact,” Rimal said, adding that the UML-led alliance will, however, welcome fringe and regional parties willing to come under its umbrella.