Dhorpatan voters want candidates to internalize locals' pressing issues

Dhorpatan (Baglung), Feb 14: Locals of Dhorpatan have long been awaiting the upgrade of the Saljhandi-Dhorpatan road.     

The increasing menace of wildlife is another constant and pressing issue they continue to face.     

Residents said they have for years suffered the loss of and damage to their crops caused by wild pigs and monkeys . Although they do not have any “special issues” as part of their election agenda this time, the voters explicitly expect candidates contesting in the House of Representatives (HoR) 2026 election to understand their needs and put in place policy interventions to address them.     

They want candidates to prioritize local concerns and take initiatives for resolve.     

When candidates visit their doorsteps during the campaign, voters raise these issues with them.     

Thumkala BK, a local of Dhorpatan Municipality-9, said that locals are troubled by the lack of up-gradation of the road connecting Burtibang Bazaar to the Dhorpatan Valley.     

“We assumed once the road was constructed, it would make our lives easier. However, contrary to our expectations, it has become a source of inconvenience for us,” she said.     

“Whenever elections approach, candidates promise to take initiatives to upgrade the roadway,” she said, adding such promises have never been translated into action. “They never return the constituency once the election is over.”     

She said the road has turned a source of misery for the locals. “This time, we will support the candidate who convinces us with a firm commitment to internalize our concerns and take concrete steps to address them,” she said.     

Tul Bahadur Gharti Magar complained that monkeys, leopards, and wild boars from nearby forests continue to damage crops and sometimes even attack livestock.     

“Our mornings and evenings are often spent chasing away wild animals,” he said. “They significantly damage our vegetables and crops. Many leaders approach us during each election with assurances of solving our problems, but once they win, we never know where they go.”     

Similarly, Ganga Bahadur BK of Nisikhola Rural Municipality-5, Kunde, lamented that the lack of a systematic transport system has created difficulties in transporting goods. “It has made the transportation of goods more expensive,” he added.(RSS)