Rajesh Rai Yadav has been elected as the President of Nepali Congress Bara by getting 1,206 votes. His rival Shambhu Bahadur Budhathoki got 1,154 votes.
By Our Correspondent
Birgunj, Feb. 7
The incessant rains from Thursday to Saturday caused damage worth Rs. 600 in 158 brick industries -- 62 brick industries in Parsa and 96 in Bara as the rains destroyed bricks ready to bake.
Omprakash Yadav, President of Brick Industry Entrepreneurs' Association, said that the entrepreneurs in the plain areas suffered a lot due to the recent rains. “Initial data shows that the brick industries in Bara-Parsa lost around Rs. 600 million due to the rains,” he said.
According to Chairman Yadav, entrepreneurs installed motors to drain water accumulated inside brick factories by mobilising their workers for past two days. “Each of the industry and the entrepreneur incurred losses of at least Rs. 10 million. Brick industries were also badly hampered during lockdown,” he added.
Subash Sah, proprietor of Bara Brick Industry, said that rains destroyed more than 1.5 million raw bricks in his industry. “I am worried for the current loss because I had not been able to recover even from the losses of lockdown period,” he added.
Similarly, Sitaram Acharya, operator of Baba Brick Industry in Sisnia- Bara, said that about 1.4 million dried bricks were destroyed by the untimely rain. “The heavy rainfall which occurred after 18 years in winter swept our dreams of earnings,” he said.
Another entrepreneur Raj Kishor Sah who owns PK Brick Industry had a similar tale to share. He said that the rains destroyed more than 1.5 million raw bricks in his industry.
Binay Yadav, president of the Brick Industry Entrepreneurs Association of Madhesh Pradesh, said that the heavy rainfall destroyed bricks in six different industries in the province.
Brick entrepreneurs claimed that loss record could spike as raw bricks and coal were destroyed due to rain and inundation. Brick industry was mired in problem due to lack of insurance for raw bricks. Industrialists claimed that around 1.5 million dried raw bricks were destroyed in each brick industry.
They were seeking some assistance from the government. They said either the government had to manage insurance policy for them or it should support the business. He said the brick factories would be shut down if they failed to get any support.
Meanwhile, brick industrialists in Sarlahi had asked for relief package from the government. They submitted a memorandum to the Chief District Officer on Monday asking for the relief package for the damages borne due to rain.
“We are in crisis, the government needs to help us to recover from this situation,” read the document.
KATHMANDU: The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) is all set to inaugurate its 14th General Convention in the capital from Friday.
The general convention will elect the party's new leadership for the next five years including 13 office bearers. Delegates from across the country are arriving in Kathmandu to attend the party’s national jamboree.
As of Thursday afternoon, incumbent President Sher Bahadur Deuba has announced to vie for the presidential position for the second stint. Bimalendra Nidhi, incumbent vice president, is also all set to challenge Deuba. The rival faction led by senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel, however, is yet to forge a consensus to field a common candidate to challenge Deuba and Nidhi.
Amid the claims of victory by the aspirants of various positions including president, vice presidents, general secretaries and joint general secretaries, calculations are being made on the basis of the number of delegates joining the party congress.
According to the data availed by the party’s election committee, Bagmati Province holds the highest number of votes followed by Province 2. Karnali, though largest in terms of area, sends the least number of delegates among seven provinces.
In this story, we discuss the voters for the general convention of the ruling side.
Province 1
Home to leaders including Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, Dr Shekhar Koirala and Gyanendra Bahadur Karki among others, Province 1 boasts as many as 733 votes.
Twenty-seven delegates each from Taplejung, Tehrathum, Okhaldhunga and Panchthar, 26 each from Bhojpur, Dhankuta and Sankhuwasabha and 53 from Ilam districts will join the general conventions, according to the party’s election committee.
Similarly, 132 from Jhapa, 152 from Morang, 105 from Sunsari, 28 from Solukhumbu, 25 from Khotang and 52 from Udayapur will be voting for the new leadership in the general convention.
Province 2
As many as 705 delegates will join the general convention from eight districts of Province 2.
Also the home to Nidhi, one of the presidential candidates, the province, however, could not send the number of delegates in its full capacity amidst failure to hold conventions in some constituencies.
According to the election committee, the highest number of delegates (105) would join from Siraha district. The general convention is expected to witness the presence of 104 delegates each from Saptari, Mahottari, Dhanusha and Bara districts followed by 103 from Parsa. Similarly, Rautahat will send as many as 81 delegates.
Bagmati Province
Bagmati boasts the most number of delegates -- 879 from 13 districts.
The three districts in the Kathmandu Valley alone represent as many as 402 voters --- Kathmandu (266), Lalitpur (82) and Bhaktapur (54). Similarly, 27 each from Dolakha, Ramechhap and Rasuwa, 52 each from Sindhuli, Sindhupalchowk and Makwanpur districts are eligible to cast their votes for the party’s new central executive committee.
Chitwan’s 79, Dhading’s 54 and 53 each from Nuwakot and Kavre were elected as the representatives for the national jamboree.
Gandaki Province
Senior leader Poudel belongs to this province which has delegated 480 representatives.
The election committee shared that 26 from Mustang, 27 each from Manang and Myagdi, 28 each from Lamjung and Parbat and 52 each from Nawalparasi (West) and Baglung will participate in the election process. Similarly, Syangja’s 53, Tanahu’s 54 and Kaski’s 80 will play decisive roles in selecting the new executive committee of the party.
Lumbini Province
As many as 683 delegates will participate in the general convention from 12 districts of Lumbini province. Gulmi, Palpa and Bardiya have sent 53 delegates each followed by Nawalparasi’s 52.
While Rupandehi district sends the highest number of delegates – 131, Arghakhanchi and Rukum (East) will have 26 --- the least representatives-- each.
Similarly, Kapilvastu’s 77, Dang and Banke’s 79 each and Rolpa and Pyuthan’s 27 each are joining the Congress party’s 14th General Convention in the capital.
Karnali Province
The largest province has elected as many as 317 delegates for the national jamboree.
Twenty-seven each from Rukum (West), Salyan, Mugu, Kalikot and Jajarkot will participate in the general convention. While Dailekh sends 54 delegates, Dolpa sends only 24 for the election process. Surkhet and Humla have sent 52 and 26 delegates respectively.
Sudur Paschim Province
Home province of President Deuba, Sudur Paschim has elected as many as 419 representatives including 79 from Kanchanpur district.
While 26 delegates each from Dadeldhura, Doti and Bajhang districts join the national congress, Baitadi and Darchula delegate 27 voters each.
Kailali has sent the most delegates of 130 from its five electoral constituencies followed by 52 from Achham.
KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) is holding provincial conventions starting from Thursday.
The conventions, which are an integral part of the ruling party's 14th General Convention, are all set to elect new leadership in respective provinces for the next five years.
While some provinces are holding elections for a new executive committee including eight office bearer positions, polls are still uncertain in some provinces.
Below is the update on the election process in all seven provinces.
Province 1:
Elections for a new executive committee are yet to begin in the province as of 1 PM, Saturday. The polls are expected to begin at 8 AM.
The voting process was delayed as the names of candidates had not been included in the ballot paper.
For the post of provincial president, Guru Raj Ghimire has filed his candidacy from the rival faction led by Ramchandra Poudel. Ghimire will face a tough challenge by Uddha Thapa, a presidential candidate from the establishment faction led by President Sher Bahadur Deuba. Another faction led by Krishna Sitaula has also formed an alliance with the Deuba faction.
Province 2
NC’s province-level convention in Province 2 was postponed on Saturday as well.
Of the 32 election constituencies in the province, seven [four of Sarlahi and one each of Bara, Saptari, Rautahat districts] are yet to elect the delegates for the convention impacting the provincial convention as well.
Sarlahi district is yet to conclude ward-level conventions.
A total of four candidates have so far announced their candidacies for the presidential position. Krishna Yadav from the Deuba faction, Ram Saroj Yadav [the Bimalendra Nidhi panel] and Ranjit Karn [independent] are in the race for the position of province president. Karna is said to have the support of the party’s senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and General Secretary Shashank Koirala.
Bagmati Province
Bagmati Province is holding elections for the 91-member executive committee in Hetauda, the provincial capital.
The establishment faction has fielded Indra Bahadur Baniya as the candidate for the provincial president. Baniya will has been challenged by Jagdish Narsingh KC and Bhimsen Das Pradhan. While KC is close to the Poudel faction, Pradhan belongs to the Sitaula faction.
Gandaki
Voting for the new executive committee is underway in Gandaki Province’s capital Pokhara on Saturday afternoon.
As many as 1,085 delegates from across the province will elect as many as 68-member executive committee including eight office-bearers.
The establishment panel’s Arjun Prasad Joshi and Poudel faction’s Shukra Raj Sharma are in the fray for the provincial president.
Lumbini
Voting for new leadership in Lumbini Province began later than the scheduled time.
Elections are being held in Bhairahawa, Rupandehi.
The Deuba panel has fielded Bharat Kumar Shah for the presidential position. Shah is facing a tough challenge by Amar Singh Pun from the rival faction led by senior leader Poudel. While Shah is chairman of federal parliament’s Public Account Committee, Pun served as the party president of Rolpa district.
Karnali
Voting for new leadership in Karnali was delayed by an hour and a half and kicked off at 1.30 PM.
Three panels have been formed for the elections for the new executive committee in the province.
Lalit Jung Shahi [Deuba faction] Bhupendra Jung Shahi [ Poudel faction] and Motiraj Bam [Nidhi faction] are vying for the president of the ruling party in the province.
Sudur Paschim
NC’s Sudur Paschim chapter reported commencement of elections at 10 AM, Saturday.
Two panels --- one led by Bir Bahadur Balayar and the other by Narayan Dutta Mishra --- are in the election race in the province that lies in the far western part of the country. While Balayar is said to be close to party President Deuba, Mishra has the backing of senior leader Poudel.
