The Nepal Weekly 
November 15, 2022
By TNW correspondent
As campaigning for Nepal General Election 2022 is approaching the climax, three features stand out as compelling and decisive indicators: traditional party symbol supporters’ behavior during vote-casting, voters’ impression of dissent candidates and constituency-centric appeal by specific candidates –party –supported, independent or otherwise.
People who regularly voted for symbols of big parties such as tree and sun may not find their favourite symbol in ballot box in constituencies where poll partnership prevails among big parties. In such places voters will have to make a decision whether to vote for the party suggested by coalition-parties or to go for an alternative.
“If they decide for the alternative, results of parliamentary polls will not follow the order of what happened during the local polls. It will produce different results for none could guarantee that supporters will follow the dictates of party high command,” noted a media analyst.
“It is because of this big parties’ candidates are not being able to predict their win or defeat. Although they have tried best to explain how to vote and how to tolerate poll-partner-party symbols, they appear not confident about the actual support they will get.”
“Dissent candidates have campaigned brilliantly and explained their reasoning for going parallel to the decision of their mother parties. “Whether that message has convinced voters or not is what may decide their fate,” observed a senior politician.
“Mass appeal and impression of constituency-centric candidates’ personality and approach is another factor that could have impact on voters. Some are simply appealing while others are not and the impressive ones will emerge winner in polls,” noted a campaign analyst.
It is because of the three factors mentioned above the election’s outcome cannot be predicted this time on the basis of the analysis of local poll results. “Much depends on turn out and voters’ mood in ballot booth,” a senior journalist pointed out. “Much depends on interactions about candidates that people will have during silence period prior to the polls as well.”
