NC and UML to contest election without forming alliances
KATHMANDU, Sept 5: The two major ruling parties, the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML, have indicated that they will not form pre-poll alliances with any party for the election to be held in 2084 BS.
KATHMANDU, Sept 5: The two major ruling parties, the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML, have indicated that they will not form pre-poll alliances with any party for the election to be held in 2084 BS.
AUG 15: The election of the House of Representatives (HoR) and provincial assemblies are scheduled for November 20 later this year. The party registration for the election is coming to an end in the next three days. Political parties, candidates and leaders are busy holding their election campaigns.
The ruling alliance of Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Sociaist), Janata Samajbadi Party and Rastriya Janamorcha Party are up against the main opposition party CPN-UML and other political parties in the upcoming election. The ruling alliance has already decided to forge an electoral alliance.
In this scenario, Ratopati has talked with the Deputy General Secretary of CPN-UML, Bishnu Rimal.
How is UML’s preparation for the upcoming polls going on?
Recently on Thursday, we held a party's secretariat meeting focusing on the upcoming polls. We are soon to hold meetings of the standing committee, central committee and politburo. These meetings will finalize our plans for the polls.
It won’t be wrong to say that election manifestos of political parties are paper oriented only. Why is it so?
I think it is just an acquisition against political parties. It is not true that the party in power prepares policies and budgets contradicting its manifesto.
While we were in power, we used to read our manifesto everytime we prepared policies and acted. Our fifteenth plan was prepared on its basis and according to which the government’s policies and program was prepared.
If so, why don’t we get results then?
I don’t think so. As far as I see, we got it. For example, road construction, electricity, social development, gender equality, social security, health insurance, child development, etc, are all linked with our manifesto.
The public voted for the leftist alliance. They trusted you. And once you were in power, you began to construct view towers rather than industries. How many new opportunities of employment did you create apart from making people clean roadsides in the name of the Prime Minister Employment Program?
Firstly, People should not be making views based on their understanding only. Didn’t the National Reconstruction Authority established after the earthquake give employment opportunities to people?
Secondly, is cleaning the roads not a job? Isn’t it fair to let unemployed people clean the road and pay rather than paying them without letting them do anything? Didn’t the Constitution guarantee 100 days of job opportunities to unemployed people? It is not what the unemployed people did. It is whether they got to earn or not. The Prime Minister Employment Program has created as many as 2,200,000 jobs in a year.
Likewise, if constructing a view tower provides employment opportunities then what is wrong with it?
Government could have used that fund to establish industries. No?
Yes. It could have.
It was your party that sold dreams of waterways, trains and availability of cooking gasses through pipelines in every house and while your party came to power you dissolved the parliament and got involved in politics rather than sticking to your words.
Is it not possible to have trains and waterways in our country? It is but it takes time. It is not something that can be achieved in a day or two.
The ruling alliance is pursuing the voters not to vote for CPN-UML that dissolved the parliament twice. What do you have to say?
If so then it will be their responsibility to clarify the rights of the Prime Minister. In our part, we have already done that. The party dissolved the parliament just to safeguard our manifesto and demanded an election. There was no environment for us to carry out our plans and programs that we had mentioned in our manifesto.
The then PM KP Sharma Oli has been defending himself, maintaining that others did not let him work. How fair is it to not be able to organize one's own party and to dissolve the parliament in anger?
That’s a different issue. But, constitutionally, the PM has the right to dissolve the parliament.
You mean to say that CPN-UML took a right move and will advocate same during the upcoming elections?
Yes. House dissolution was a right move and our future Prime Ministers should have the right to do the same.
On what basis is the CPN-UML maintaining that it will form a majority government?
We will contest in the upcoming polls with a strong agenda and voters will love our agenda. The local polls have already indicated that voters vote for an agenda not a party or candidate. Our agendas are ‘Prosperous Nepal Happy Nepali’, Socialism and transformative works. If voters believe us, then we will be able to form a government.
How many votes will the CPN-UML garner?
We will be able to collect enough votes to form a government. If voters love our agenda, no one can defeat us. Agenda was the reason why independent candidates won local elections at Dharan, Dhangadi and Kathmandu.
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AUG 15: The election of the House of Representatives (HoR) and provincial assemblies are scheduled for November 20 later this year. The party registration for the election is coming to an end in the next three days. Political parties, candidates and leaders are busy holding their election campaigns.
The ruling alliance of Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Sociaist), Janata Samajbadi Party and Rastriya Janamorcha Party are up against the main opposition party CPN-UML and other political parties in the upcoming election. The ruling alliance has already decided to forge an electoral alliance.
In this scenario, Ratopati has talked with the Deputy General Secretary of CPN-UML, Bishnu Rimal.
How is UML’s preparation for the upcoming polls going on?
Recently on Thursday, we held a party's secretariat meeting focusing on the upcoming polls. We are soon to hold meetings of the standing committee, central committee and politburo. These meetings will finalize our plans for the polls.
It won’t be wrong to say that election manifestos of political parties are paper oriented only. Why is it so?
I think it is just an acquisition against political parties. It is not true that the party in power prepares policies and budgets contradicting its manifesto.
While we were in power, we used to read our manifesto everytime we prepared policies and acted. Our fifteenth plan was prepared on its basis and according to which the government’s policies and program was prepared.
If so, why don’t we get results then?
I don’t think so. As far as I see, we got it. For example, road construction, electricity, social development, gender equality, social security, health insurance, child development, etc, are all linked with our manifesto.
The public voted for the leftist alliance. They trusted you. And once you were in power, you began to construct view towers rather than industries. How many new opportunities of employment did you create apart from making people clean roadsides in the name of the Prime Minister Employment Program?
Firstly, People should not be making views based on their understanding only. Didn’t the National Reconstruction Authority established after the earthquake give employment opportunities to people?
Secondly, is cleaning the roads not a job? Isn’t it fair to let unemployed people clean the road and pay rather than paying them without letting them do anything? Didn’t the Constitution guarantee 100 days of job opportunities to unemployed people? It is not what the unemployed people did. It is whether they got to earn or not. The Prime Minister Employment Program has created as many as 2,200,000 jobs in a year.
Likewise, if constructing a view tower provides employment opportunities then what is wrong with it?
Government could have used that fund to establish industries. No?
Yes. It could have.
It was your party that sold dreams of waterways, trains and availability of cooking gasses through pipelines in every house and while your party came to power you dissolved the parliament and got involved in politics rather than sticking to your words.
Is it not possible to have trains and waterways in our country? It is but it takes time. It is not something that can be achieved in a day or two.
The ruling alliance is pursuing the voters not to vote for CPN-UML that dissolved the parliament twice. What do you have to say?
If so then it will be their responsibility to clarify the rights of the Prime Minister. In our part, we have already done that. The party dissolved the parliament just to safeguard our manifesto and demanded an election. There was no environment for us to carry out our plans and programs that we had mentioned in our manifesto.
The then PM KP Sharma Oli has been defending himself, maintaining that others did not let him work. How fair is it to not be able to organize one's own party and to dissolve the parliament in anger?
That’s a different issue. But, constitutionally, the PM has the right to dissolve the parliament.
You mean to say that CPN-UML took a right move and will advocate same during the upcoming elections?
Yes. House dissolution was a right move and our future Prime Ministers should have the right to do the same.
On what basis is the CPN-UML maintaining that it will form a majority government?
We will contest in the upcoming polls with a strong agenda and voters will love our agenda. The local polls have already indicated that voters vote for an agenda not a party or candidate. Our agendas are ‘Prosperous Nepal Happy Nepali’, Socialism and transformative works. If voters believe us, then we will be able to form a government.
How many votes will the CPN-UML garner?
We will be able to collect enough votes to form a government. If voters love our agenda, no one can defeat us. Agenda was the reason why independent candidates won local elections at Dharan, Dhangadi and Kathmandu.
Click here to read more
KATHMANDU, April 8: At the time when the ruling alliance has decided to forge an electoral alliance in the upcoming local level election, the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to contest for the post of mayor in Biratnagar Metropolitan City independently.
The party has maintained that it doesn’t require any sort of alliance in the metropolist to win the election.
“There will be no alliance in all the 19 wards of the metropolis,” said Deepak Chapagain, Metropolis President of the party.
According to Chapagain, names of candidates for wards and metropolis have already been finalized.
In the local level election held in 2074 BS, NC had won in eight wards in the Biratnagar Metropolis. Besides, the Federal Socialist Forum had won in 6 wards, CPN-UML in three and CPN (Maoist Center) in one ward.
Bhim Parajuli was elected in the post of Mayor of the metropolis representing NC, garnering a total of 23,031 votes. His nearest contender was Binod Dhakal, a common candidate of CPN-UML and Forum Loktantrik.
In comparison to the last election, 19,381 voters have been added in the metropolis this time. As per the latest data of the Election Commission (EC), there are as many as 133,142 voters in Biratnagar.
With NC’s decision to avoid electoral alliance in Biratnagar, CPN (Maoist Center), Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) and CPN (Unified Socialist) are likely to forge an electoral alliance. Likewise, an electoral alliance between CPN-UML and JSP is also likely. Also, there is a buzz of alliance between UML and Rastriya Prajatantra Party in the metropolis.
KATHMANDU, April 7: Number of aspirants for the post of Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City is growing day by day as the local level election is on our doorsteps.
Kathmandu metropolis is the local level with the highest number of voters in the country.
This time for the election scheduled for May 10, not only the names of politicians but also actors, rapper, former DIG and former Miss Newa are in the list of those vying for the post of mayor in the metropolis.
In the earlier election, Bidya Sundar Shakya was elected mayor of Kathmandu metropolis representing the CPN-UML and Hari Prava Khadki was elected deputy mayor representing the Nepali Congress (NC).
In five years, the number of voters in the metropolis have increased from 278,039 voters to 300,242. Nepali Congress and CPN-UML are believed to be the two most competitive parties for the post in the final showdown.
Bidya Sundar Shakya, the current mayor of the metropolis, has maintained that he will field himself for the post once again if the party wants. Besides, it has been learnt that Keshav Sthapit, former provincial assembly member and former mayor of the metropolis, is also willing to contest in the election for the post.
Likewise, in NC, current deputy mayor Hari Prava Khadki, Susan Baidya, secretary of Kathmandu metropolis committee, Sirjana Singh, wife of NC leader Prakashman Singh are among dozens of aspirants for the post of mayor in the upcoming election.
Similarly, popular rapper Balen Shah and former Miss Newa Sunita Dangol have already independently announced their candidacy for the post.
Unnat Loktantrik Party has decided to field actor Bhuwan KC as its candidate for the post of mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City in the upcoming local level polls.
Also, former DIG Ramesh Kharel, who recently formed the Nepal Sushasan Party, has also announced his candidacy for the post of the mayor of the metropolis.
POKHARA, Jan 7: The ruling alliance and the main opposition party, CPN-UML is to face off for three vacant posts in the National Assembly in the upcoming by-election.
The ruling alliance comprises the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) and Rastriya Janamorcha Party.
The tenure of NA members Dinanath Sharma and Khim Bahadur BK, elected from Maoist Center, and Shanti Kumari Pariyar, elected from CPN (US) are due to end this month.
Representing the ruling alliance, Maoist Center has fielded two candidates and the NC has fielded one candidate for the vacant posts.
Candidates
1) Suresh Ale Magar (Maoist Center)
2) Bhuvan Sunar ( Maoist Center)
3) Kamala Panta (Nepali Congress)
4) Punya Poudel (UML)
5) Arjun Sonam (UML)
6) Lila Pokharel Thaten (UML)
What is the status of votes?
Even though the CPN (UML) has a strong hold as a political party in Gandaki Province, the decision of the ruling alliance to contest in the NA by-polls joining their hands has made the main opposition party look weak.
CPN-UML, which possesses 27 seats in the provincial assembly, has altogether 1,296 votes. Likewise, the NC with 15 seats has 720 votes and the Maoist Center with 12 seats has 576 votes. Similarly, the JSP and Rastriya Janamorcha Party has 96 votes each.
Likewise, in the local level, the NC with 86 people’s representatives has 1,498 votes, Maoist Center with 12 representatives has 216 votes and Rastriya Janamorcha Party with three representatives has 54 votes.
Moreover, the CPN-UML with 70 people’s representatives at the local level has 1,260 votes.
KATHMANDU: Chairman of CPN-UML, KP Sharma Oli has been challenging the leaders of the opposition alliance including Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota, CPN(Unified Socialist) and Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal to record victory in the upcoming general elections from the constituencies they contested the last polls.
It may be noted that Prachanda was elected from Chitwan, Sapkota from Sindhupalchowk and Nepal from Kathmandu districts in 2017 general elections.
He has not yet challenged Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to emerge victorious from Dadeldhura.
In this story we have discussed how strong is Oli, who is challenging others to record victory in the upcoming elections, in his constituency in Jhapa district.
While analyzing the result of the last election in Jhapa-5, Oli is more likely to defend his membership in the federal parliament.
UML had formed an alliance with the Maoist Center during the 2017 polls. In Jhapa-5, there was a three-party alliance including UML, Maoist and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).
Oli was quite popular ahead of the 2017 polls. At the same time, RPP’s popularity in Jhapa’s Damak Municipality helped Oli secure a comfortable win with a huge difference. Oli won 57,139 votes which accounts for 62.55 percent of the total voters in the constituency.
Oli’s nearest contender NC’s Khagendra Adhikari secured 28,297, meaning Oli won with a difference of 28,842, more votes than that Adhikari received.
Oli’s votes also included the RPP’s popular votes. To know how strong RPP is in the constituency, it is necessary to analyze the votes received by the parties through the proportional representation (PR) system.
RPP had secured as many as 9,059 votes while Maoist Center got 6,352 votes. Which means votes secured by Oli might have included 15,411 votes of RPP and Maoist Center.
If we subtract the number of votes of RPP and Maoist Center from the total votes secured by Oli, the UML’s vote alone counted more than 42,000.
When we subtract the votes secured by NC, Oli still leads by 14,000 votes. It may be the reason that Oli is confident of winning the upcoming elections.
Scenario in local levels is different
Though Oli’s UML recorded a landslide victory during the 2017 elections, the scenario based on the results of the local levels in Jhapa-5 suggests that Oli still has a challenge to contest election against the ruling alliance of five parties including NC, Maoist, CPN (US), Janata Samjbadi Party (JSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).
There are four local levels in Oli’s constituency --- two rural municipalities and two other municipalities.
Of the four local levels, UML had won in one while NC and RPP had won one local level each. At a local level, UML’s candidate won on a lucky draw after the two candidates [of UML and Congress] secured the equal number of votes.
UML had emerged victorious in Damak Municipality without any alliance in the 2017 elections. However, it will be difficult for the party to secure victory against NC-Maoist alliance if RPP doesn’t extend ites support.
UML stood fourth in Gauriganj Rural Municipality.
UML and Congress received equal numbers of votes in Kamal Rural Municipality.
Congress party had won the 2017 elections in Gauradaha Municipality even without the support of any political party. While analyzing the vote difference as of the 2017 local level elections, five-party alliance may impact Oli’s election campaign.
Oli also had a history of losing two parliamentary elections in the past.
