Dhatananda Bhattarai, a 25-year-old student, has been elected unopposed to the post of mayor of Tansen municipality — that was devastated during Maoist attacks last week, reports said.

Before the Maoists’ attack
According to the state-run RSS news agency, a resident of Ward No.9 of Tansen municipality, was the lone candidate to file nominations for the post.

He is doing his graduation in Science.

However, nominations were not received for any other post including deputy Mayor of the municipality.

RSS quoted newly elected mayor, Bhattarai, as saying that he had filed the candidacy on his own and expressed the determination to work in the interest of the people and for establishment of peace.

Located at an altitude of 1372 meters from the sea level, Tansen is a well known and popular tourist destination for foreign as well as domestic tourists.

After the Maoists’ attack: courtesy: blog.com.np
Blessed with natural beauty, Tansen carries a glorious history of the Sen dynasty in Srinagar that overlooks the town.

Tansen was originally known as Tansingh taken from the Magar language meaning a densely populated habitation of the north.

It is believed that building of concrete houses in Tansen began in 1886 B.S. after receiving a royal approval from His Majesty King Rajendra Bir Bikram Shah to replace the thatched roof houses gutted in an incident of fire.

The historical Tansen was declared a municipality in the 1950s and is the third oldest municipality of the Kingdom of Nepal, the RSS news report said.

A number of hisotoric monuments of the ancient town were destroyed and damaged during overnight raid by the Maoists last Tuesday. At least 11 security personnel and eight rebels were killed during the clashes.

The government has said it will provide Rs 10 million to undertake reconstruction activities in the town but locals were apprehensive that the money could be utilised judicioulsy in the absence of representative bodies at the district.