Centenarian election candidate Pokharel says he is in fray to save country, democracy

The senior most candidate in the November 20 election to the member of House of Representatives, the lower house of the federal parliament, Tika Datta Pokharel has asserted that his candidacy is for protecting the country, preserving democracy and maintaining Nepal as the Hindu nation.

Pokharel celebrated his 100th birthday on October 31. Talking briefly to RSS, the National News Agency, the senior citizen from Siranchok Rural Municipality-2, Gorkha district expressed the conviction that he would be victorious in the polls with majority votes and the overwhelming support of the people of Gorkha, which is synonymous for delivering justice.

He was indicating towards the history of the district when he said Gorkha is synonymous to dispensation of justice. Then King Ram Shah of Gorkha was known as a just king and there is an ancient saying that one who wants justice should visit the court of Ram Shah.

"The voters of Gorkha carrying with it the identity of the land of the brave Gorkhalis who spearheaded the national unification campaign will give their vote to a senior citizen and a democrat over 100 years of age and create new history in this election. Thus my name will be recorded in history as the senior-most parliamentarian of the country," Pokharel said. He added that only a Gorkhali born in Gorkha would work for the welfare of the people of the district and also preserve the 'glorious' history of Gorkha.

Pokharel shared that he was contesting in this parliamentary election to protect the country and democracy and to create an environment in the country wherein the sons and daughters of the Nepalis will get employment within the country itself and will not have to toil in foreign land for livelihood.

Describing Gorkha as his motherland and the place where he lived and worked his entire life, Pokharel said the people of Gorkha were campaigning in his support with the goal of making a 'son of land of Gorkha and the oldest candidate who is well-known to the people victorious in the election'. He claimed that his victory was guaranteed.

Stating that the country is not anyone's dominion per se, the centenarian election candidate said the Gorkhalis should thoroughly evaluate how much and what works the candidate from the ruling alliance in the district has done for the district and its people. He believed that the 'educated and conscious' Gorkhali people will deliver their verdict on November 20 by means of their votes.

He narrated that he had been jailed at various times in Birgunj and Raxaul in India while participating in the movement against the Rana oligarchy before 2007 BS. Pokharel also recalled that he spent about six years in jail in Gorkha and Lamjung in the course of opposing the Panchayati system.

"My candidacy is for building a prosperous nation, a robust democracy and for establishing Nepal as a Hindu nation," said Pokharel who is contesting in the election from Gorkha constituency number 2 on behalf of the Nepali Congress (BP) party. His election symbol is 'Kalash', an urn.

He is facing 11 contenders, including CPN (Maoist Centre) chairperson and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and Abdus Miyan from the CPN (UML). Dahal is the common candidate from the ruling alliance in this constituency.