29 candidates for three posts in Arghakhanchi

29 people have registered their candidatures for one House of Representatives and two Provincial Assembly members in Arghakhanchi. Although 29 candidates from various political parties and independents have registered, only one woman and one Dalit candidate have been nominated.

Pushpa Bhusal Gautmak (the only woman) has been nominated as a member of the House of Representatives on behalf of the Nepali Congress. On the Dalit side, only Thakur Kumar Vick has been nominated from the CPN-Maoist Center in the Provincial Assembly (A).

Chief Electoral Officer Dr. Shrikrishna Bhattarai said that in Arghakhanchi district, where there is only 1 constituency, 12 candidates, eight candidates for State Assembly (A) and nine candidates for State Assembly (B) have registered. Although various political parties have come up with popular slogans and cheap programs for women and Dalits, they have not been able to make direct candidates even though Nepal's constitution provides equal protection for women, Dalits and other sectors, the direct candidacy of women and Dalits is very low.

12 people including former deputy speaker Pushpa Bhusal from Nepali Congress and former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamazhi from CPN-UML have registered their candidacy for the House of Representatives in Arghakhanchi.Home Narayan Belbase from PRPA, Hari Prasad Bhusal from National Independent Party, Netra Bahadur Thapa from Jaspa Nepal, Durga Banjade from Our Nepali Party, Sutej Dulal from Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party, Khalil Mian from RAPRAPA Nepal, Madhu Bahadur Saru from Rashtriya Janamukti Party and Pashupati Dhakal from Independent Party registered their candidacies. Suresh Bhattarai said.

Central member of CPN UML Chetnarayan Acharya, central member of CPN Maoist Center Thakur Kumar Vick from the alliance, Ram Bahadur Chauhan from CPN United Samajwadi Party, Sagar KC from Rajmo, Zawindra Fullel from RPR and Rajan Nepali from Independent have registered their candidatures in Provincial Assembly (A).

Kamal Prasad Bhusal, the former party chairman of Sandhikharka Municipality, founder of the town chief Kamal Prasad Bhusal from Nepali Congress, former MP Ramji Prasad Ghimire from UML, Jivlal Paudel from Rajmo, Tuk Bahadur Chewali from JSP, Chet Bahadur Paudyal from RPP and Baburam Roka Magar and Chiranjeevi Aryal from Independent have registered their candidature for the Provincial Assembly (B).

In the House of Representatives election, the main contest will be between Rayamajhi and Bhusal. Since 2064, Rayamajhi has been elected three times consecutively and won the election from the Maoists in the first and second Constituent Assembly.

Rayamajhi, who rose to the rank of Deputy Prime Minister, left the NEPA-Maoist Center and joined the UML after the CPN split. In the first Constituent Assembly election of  2007, Pushpa won the election from the then constituency 2. Pushpa became a proportional candidate in the 2074 elections after federalism. The Deputy Speaker of the Federal Parliament, he is now facing UML Secretary Rayamajhi with the help of the alliance.