As the election date, March 5 is fast approaching, election environment is gearing up in the country specially in Jhapa -5 situated in Koshi Province, where deposed Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, is being challenged by Balendra Shah “Balen,” who is the former Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Both CPN-UML chair Oli and Rastriya Swotantra Party senior leader Shah reached Jhapa district in Koshi Province to launch door to door campaign wooing voters.
Oli has won Parliamentary elections from Jhapa district for six times in the past. In the last election he defeated Nepali Congress candidate with a huge margin. However this time, the fight will be tougher for Oli, who was forced to resign during the Gen Z movement in September last year.
Security has been intensified in Jhapa district as electioneering is getting momentum. Security has been beefed up in the district as both the influential candidates are contesting the election, said Nepal Police sources. Oli reached his constituency on Thursday to launch door to door campaign, according to sources close to CPN-UML. However, Balen reached Jhapa on Sunday for the campaign, according to sources close to RSP. This was the second election campaign launched by Balen in Jhapa within a couple of weeks.
In Sunday alone, Balen visited at least a dozen places and met voters during the door to door campaign, said sources close to RSP.
Although there are candidates from other parties as well the contest is mainly between Oli and Balen, say observers. UML chairperson Oli represents the traditional forces while Balen represents the Gen Z youths, who supported the RSP aiming to bring the younger generation in the political mainstream.
Besides the two leaders, other contestants from Jhapa 5 include Mandhara Paudel from Nepali Congress, Ranjit Tamang from Nepali Communist Party and Laxmi Sangraula from Rastriya Prajatantra Party.
