HETAUDA: Candidates are busy wooing voters in the by-election for the vacant ward chairperson position to be held on December 1 in Hetauda sub-metropolis-12. All the candidates and party leaders in the election fray are striving to sway voters in their favor, with development works being their top priority.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the post of ward chair has remained vacant after Lalit Bahadur Ghalan, elected in the local polls held in May 2022, was later chosen as the chief of the District Coordination Committee, Makawanpur. Nepali Congress has fielded Arjun Tiwari, while CPN-UML has put forward Rajesh Nagarkoti, and CPN (Maoist Centre) has nominated Rabin Pradhan for the by-election to Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-12.
In addition, the Nepal Communist Party (Unified Socialist), Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party are also contesting the elections, challenging the major parties. Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has nominated Ashabir Bal, Unified Socialist Party has Bal
aram Bal, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party has presented Prem Lama as their candidates.
The Office of the Chief Returning Officer reports that 12 candidates, including nine from different parties and three independents, are vying for the by-election. In the previous local elections held in 2019, there was stiff competition among the three main parties. The Maoist Centre faces the challenge of maintaining its legacy, while the UML and NC are under pressure to uphold their prestige.
It is noteworthy that CPN (Maoist Centre)’s Lalit Bahadur Ghalan won the previous election by securing 1,371 votes. His main opponents, Arjun Tiwari of the Nepali Congress and Rajesh Nagarkoti of CPN-UML, garnered 1,340 and 1,325 votes, respectively. While NC and CPN (UML) have fielded their previous candidates, CPN (Maoist Centre) has introduced fresh candidates, adding an interesting dynamic to the upcoming election.