HoR elections: Kaski-1 , a volatile constituency with frequently changed outcome

Gandaki, Jan 29: Kaski is divided into three electoral constituencies for the March 5 election to the House of Representatives. Among them, Constituency No. 1 is known to give an outcome that changes frequently.

The constituency covers Madi and Rupa rural municipalities  and ward nos- 10, 12, 13, 14, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 of Pokhara Metropolitan City. A total of 17 candidates are contesting from the constituency, according to Rudra Neupane, Information Officer of the Election Office in Pokhara.

Out of the total candidates in this constituency, 16 are men, one is a woman while all but one are candidates representing political parties. There are 116,878 voters in this Constituency.

In the first general elections following restoration of democracy in 1990, Taranath Ranabhat of the Nepali Congress was elected from this constituency in 2048 BS, who went on to assume the responsibility of the Speaker of the country. In the following elections in 2051 BS, Khagaraj Adhikari of the CPN (UML) won while Ranabhat won it for the second time four years later in 2056 BS.

In the first Constituent Assembly elections held in 2064 BS after the 2006 people's movement, Dev Gurung of the CPN (Maoist Center), i.e. the then CPN Maoist, won from this constituency. Gurung, who won from two constituencies, later chose Manang and in the by-election in 2065 BS, Krishna Bahadur Gurung of the same party was elected. 

Meanwhile, in the second Constituent Assembly election held in 2070 BS, Yagya Bahadur Thapa of the Nepali Congress won from this constituency, while Khagraj Adhikari of the UML and Maoist alliance won the House of Representatives election held in 2074 BS. Then, Man Bahadur Gurung of the UML won the constituency in the election held in 2079 BS.

Among the 17 candidates in the fray this time, Bain Bahadur Adhikari Chhetri from the UML, Tilak Bahadur Ranabhat from the Nepali Congress, Rajkaji Gurung (Karan) from the Nepali Communist Party, Khadak Raj Poudel (Ganesh) from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Baburam Thapa from the RPP, and Manisha Dwa from the Ujyalo Nepal Party are some notable figures likely to engage in a competition to win this constituency.  (RSS)