Kathmandu, Nov 18 (PTI) Nine politically influential families in Nepal have fielded more than one candidate for the country’s House of Representative election on Sunday, according to party sources and data from the Election Commission website.
Senior leaders have fielded family members, either spouses or sisters or daughters-in-law as candidates for the federal elections, party sources said.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is contesting the election from the Dadeldhura -1 constituency has fielded his spouse Arzoo Deuba as a candidate under the proportional electoral system.
Pushpakamal Dahal “Prachanda”, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-MC), contesting from the Gorkha -2 constituency has put up his daughter-in-law Bina Magar from Kanchanpur – 1.
Similarly, the spouse of Barshaman Pun, Onsari Ghartimagar, is contesting from the Kathmandu -2 constituency for the House of Representatives elections. Pun, who belongs to the CPN-MC, is contesting from the Rolpa constituency.
In the same manner, Shankar Pokharel of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, contesting from the Dang – 2 constituency, has fielded his sister Menuka Pokharel.
Home Minister of Nepal Balkrishna Khand, and CPN-Maoist Centre’s Devendra Poudyal, have fielded their respective spouses Manju Khand and Balawati Sharma under the proportional system. Khand is contesting from the Rupandehi -3 constituency and Poudyal from the Baglung -2 constituency.
Raghubir Mahaseth of CPN-UML, who is contesting from the Dhanusha -4 has his spouse, Juli Mahato, contesting from the Dhanusha -3 constituency, while Mahantha Thakur of the Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party, contesting from the Mahottari – 3 constituency has fielded his daughter Meenakshi Thakur.
The Janata Samajwadi Party leader Ashok Rai, contesting from Sunsari – 1 has fielded his spouse Sushila Shrestha.
More than 17.9 million people are eligible to vote in seven provinces across the Himalayan nation.
Out of a total of 275 members of the federal Parliament, 165 will be elected through direct voting, while the remaining 110 will be elected through a proportionate method.
Similarly, out of a total of 550 members of the Provincial Assembly, 330 will be elected directly and 220 will be elected through a proportionate method.
The elections will be important for Nepal to consolidate the democratic process and maintain stability in the landlocked Himalayan country. PTI SBP GRS GRS
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