The rapid rise in the migrant population in constituency-2 of Bhaktapur has added to the fear and uncertainty among the political parties as they fail to grasp the predilection of the new crop of voters. 

 

By now all the parties are convinced that the voters who have settled in the constituency since the last election and the years before that hold the actual sway and can bring about a major shift in traditional voting patterns. 

 

As none of the political parties are close to the migrant electorates of Bhaktapur, every political leader is trying to get them in their favor today. 

 

A Six-lane road from Lokanthali to Suryabinayek is one of the important developments in constituency-2 Bhaktapur. Similarly, Doleshwar Kedar Nath Temple is another important place in this constituency from a tourist point of view. This constituency is geographically and physically more developed than constituency-1 of Bhaktapur. There are both urban and rural areas under this constituency.

 

Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) is regarded as the strong political party in the constituency-2 of Bhaktapur compared to other political parties as the party has developed the municipality and has taken initiatives to promote the district as a tourist area. 

 

However, some residents feel that the party has failed to bring any big development project to the area and that they need a better political party to represent them now. Nangkhel, Chittapol, Sipadole, Katunje, Sirutar, Dadhikot, Gundu and Balkot VDCs come under this constituency. Similarly, Bhaktapur municipality´s ward 2 (Mahshwori temple area), 6 (Inacho), 7 (Golmadhi), 11 (Bhelukhel), 12(Porter Square) 14, 15 and 16 (Dudhpati) lie here.

 

Likewise, Madhyapur Thimi municipality´s ward 7, 8,9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 (Gatthaghar), 16 (Kausaltar), and 17 (Sanothimi and Lokanthali) also fall under this constituency.

 

The inner roads crisscrossing all the VDCs have been graveled whereas few have been blacktopped. Around 5km road from Jagati to Doleshwar Kedar Nath Temple in Sipadol will be blacktopped soon. Installation of sewer in Sirutar, Balkot, Lokanthali area is underway. 

 

Though the ongoing development activities are all that NWPP has to show up as their strong point, they have in fact failed to win the voters' trust. The majority of people in VDC areas are not ready to support NWPP in the upcoming CA election. They claim that the party has done only for municipalities but not for the people of VDC.

 

Ram Prasad Chakatu, a local of Bhaktapur, says that people living in Gundu and Dadhikot have to walk almost two hours to get public vehicles. “By developing a few urban places of this constituency, the peasant party has been claiming that they have worked for the entire district. The problem of our locality is always the same,” adds Chakatu. 

 

Mahesh Basnet, representing CPN-UML, Rameshwar Prasad Dhungel Nepali Congress, Devi Prasad Dhakal UCPN-Maoist are the candidates of constituency-2 of Bhaktapur. Along with them, 31 others candidates are competing from the constituency. Total 82,000 voters are registered in this constituency.

 

The number of voters in this constituency is more than constituency 1 of Bhaktapur. In the CA election of 2008, Sunil Prajapati of the NWPP had won by 18,100 votes defeating others. Similarly, Lekhnath Neupane of the Nepali Congress had won the second-highest number of votes, lagging behind by 5000 votes. 

 

Nabin Shrestha, a teacher at Holy Garden School, Bhaktapur says that the old people in core Newar communities in Bhaktapur support NWPP with communal zeal. But well-educated voters are divided when it comes to choosing their candidate.

 

“NWPP´s candidates have always been representing Newar people here but the scenario has changed now, as Bhaktapur is now home to people from various places across the country,” he claimed. 

 

Meanwhile, a staff at Madyapur Thimi Municipality Office, Sani Shrestha said newly migrated people won´t be so effective in the upcoming election as they are job holders so they have not met any of the political leaders in their door-to-door campaign. 

 

Major contenders´ in Bhaktapur-2

 

Sunil Prajapati (Nepal Workers and Peasants Party)

Nepal Workers and Peasants Party is well-known for their fairness and they have always been out of the government. Sunil Prajapati, who is one of the strong leaders of the party, had won CA election 2008 by 18,100 votes. He has strong support in the town and municipality areas. Most people believe he and his party is not corrupt like the others. 

 

Meanwhile, the party had launched different campaigns to make Bhaktapur a clean and beautiful place for tourists. At this time, newly migrated people are a major obstacle for the party as they are not closely attached to it like the locals of Bhaktapur. However, the party has done a lot in the educational sector and beautification of Bhaktapur.

 

Mahesh Basnet (CPN-UML)

 

In a very short span of time, Mahesh Basnet has gained huge popularity among the villagers of Bhaktapur. Permanent resident of Gundu VDC of Bhaktapur, Basnet has full sway over the villagers. He was also elected Gundu-VDC president, becoming the youngest president of the VDC ever. 

 

So, his hold in the village areas is stronger than others. Similarly, it is believed that Basnet might be able to convince in his favor those newly migrated people of constituency-2 of Bhaktapur, who are regarded as the actual swing voter who can change the traditional pattern. 

 

Rameshwar Prasad Dhungel (Nepali Congress)

 

After Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, Nepali Congress is another strong and most liked political party in constituency -2 of Bhaktapur. Rameshwor Prasad Dhungel, leader of the Nepali Congress, is also from Gundu VDC of Bhaktapur. It seems that there will be tough competition among Dhungel and Mahesh Basnet, leaders of CPN-UML as they both are from the same place. 

 

However, Dhungel is regarded as a strong candidate. Nepali Congress leader Jagannath Acharya had won the election in the past, which proves that the party has some support in the constituency.