Women have been excluded in Itahari's both sides of electoral race. In the May 13 local level election, the ruling five-party alliance has filed male only in all mayoral deputy mayoral as well as all ward chairs positions.
Mayoral candidate Hemkarna Poudel and deputy mayoral candidate Keshab Bista are both male. While Poudel represents Nepali Congress Bista is contesting representing the CPN (Unified Socialist).
Likewise, all ward chairs fielded by the five-party alliance in Itahari's all 20 wards are male.
Meanwhile, the main opposition CPN (UML) is no exception in this notion of excluding women in executive posts. UML has fielded all-male ward chairs in all 20 wards. In previous election UML has allocated a ward chair seat for a woman. This time, there is no space for woman in ward chairs.
However, UML has fielded a woman for deputy mayoral post. Sangita Chaudhary is deputy mayoral candidate. Mayoral candidate is Yam Kumar Subba.
''This shows how the party machinery functions'', remarked Tika Atreya Poudel, a noted literary figure and lecturer at Itahari's Janata Multiple College. She added, ''Women in the respective parties have to make their voice heard to protest this patriarchal move.''
Interestingly, no women from contesting parties have come in the public to protest against their rampant exclusion in executive posts in the local polls.
Source: National News Agency Nepal
