Keen competition for Mayors of big cities

By TNW correspondent

The race for Mayor’s seats in big cities such as Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bharatpur, Lalitpur, Birgunj and Biratnagar is to witness keen competition among the ruling alliance-parties and the CPN UML, the main opposition party, say media analysts studying the current pre-poll-trends in those areas. 

Sub-metropolitan cities such as Dhangadhi, Ghorahi, Itahari, Hetauda, Janakpur, Butawal, Tulsipur, Dharan, Nepalgunj, Kalaiya, and Jitpursimara will also find May 13 local polls to be more competitive than in the past among the ruling and opposition groups, they observe. “Although all 753 local bodies will experience competitive poll-race this time as compared to election five years ago, the big cities and sub-metropolitan cities will have to prepare for more competitive politics.”

Because of the competition, the big parties have not yet decided on candidature for Mayoral posts in big or sub-metropolitan cities, say senior politicos. “Local leaders and central leadership of all leading parties have not yet been able to work out a candidature-policy until this week, some forty days before polling day.” A number of Mayors in big cities and sub-metropolitan cities are learnt to have pressed party-leadership for a second term for them for what they did in the past five years. “We should be allotted one more chance to serve as Mayors to finish jobs we initiated for the cities,” they are learnt to have stated. Party sources, however, say “not all will have that opportunity. A few will emerge as exceptionally essential for a second term in the Mayoral seats.”

Political observers predict this time some central leaders or former Prime Ministers or former senior ministers or members of parliament will also offer themselves as candidates for Mayors of big cities or sub-metropolitan cities. “The list could swell as time to register for candidature draws closer, “ they remarked.

In the meanwhile, a section in each big party is stressing that new faces should be given opportunities to serve as mayors. Repetition would not be proper, they argue, keeping in view the expectations of youths in each party. “It is better to promote the then deputy Mayors and allow them to have a chance for Mayorship,” they noted in a public function the other day in Kathmandu.