By-election: Candidates busy wooing voters in Hetauda-12

Candidates are busy wooing voters in the by-election for vacant ward chairperson to be held on December 1 in Hetauda Sub-Metropolis-12.

All the candidates and party leaders in the election fray are trying to woo the voters in their favor. All the candidates have presented development works as their top priority.

The post of ward chair has remained vacant after Lalit Bahadur Ghalan, who was elected the ward chair in the local polls held in May 2022, was later elected the chief of the District Coordination Committee, Makawanpur.

Nepali Congress has fielded Arjun Tiwari, CPN -UML Rajesh Nagarkoti and CPN (Maoist Center) Rabin Pradhan for the by-election to Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-12.

Nepal Communist Party (Unified Socialist), Rastriya Swatantra Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party are also contesting the election by challenging the big parties. 

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has presented Ashabir Bal, Unified Socialist Party Balaram Bal and Rastriya Prajatantra Party Prem Lama.

According to the Office of the Chief Returning Officer, 12 candidates including nine from nine parties and three independents are in the fray for the by-election.

In the previous local elections held in 2019, there was a tough competition between the three main parties.

The Maoist Center has a challenge to keep its legacy while the UML and NC are under pressure to maintain their prestige.

It may be noted that CPN (Maoist Center)'s Lalit Bahadur Ghalan had won the election by securing 1,371 votes. His arch-rival Arjun Tiwari of Nepali Congress got 1,340 votes while Rajesh Nagarkoti of CPN-UML got 1,325 votes.

NC and UML have fielded the old candidates while the CPN (Maoist Center) has fielded fresh candidates. This has made the election interesting.