-By Dhana Thapa

The parliamentary by-elections  in three constituencies takes place tomorrow (Thursday). The seats in the three constituencies were vacated by three top leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress and the opposition CPN (UML), who each had won in two constituencies.

Nepali Congress party president and former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had won in Sunsari No:6 and Morang No: 1. Similarly General Secretary of the CPN (UML) Madhav Nepal had won from Rautahat Constituency No: 2 and Rautahat Constituency No: 4 and UML’s former Home Minister K.P. Oli had won from Jhapa’s Constituency No: 6 and Constituency No: 1. According to regulations of the House, such winners can keep only one seat and a by-election has to be held within six months for the vacated seats.

Khum Bahadur Khadka

If nothing, all the three constituencies are “prestige seats” for the parties concerned. If  Morang No: 1 is the constituency from where a former Prime Minister and the current president of the ruling party has  won, then Rautahat and Jhapa also boast of having sent to the Parliament, the top two leaders of the main opposition. Furthermore, while Morang is considered the home of the Nepali Congress, Jhapa is well known as the bastion of the communists. It is the region from where the communist movement in Nepal started.

However in the meantime, it is the Rautahat constituency, which has gone on to become the most talked about one in the run-up to the current by-election. This has happened not only because late BP Koirala’s son Prakash Koirala is contesting the election there, but also because UML’s Madhav Nepal considers Rautahat his home turf. Glamourous actress Manisha Koirala, daughter of Prakash Koirala, has also significantly contributed in making Rautahat’s by-election an interesting one. In fact it is said thousands of people come to the Nepali Congress election rallies, just to gawk at her.

But apart from just the cursory interest because of a well-known name and glamorous screen idol’s presence, politically also Rautahat has gone on to become a keenly contested battle between two heavyweights in the ruling and opposition parties.

While Madhav Nepal himself is leading the battle from the UML side, it is Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka, who played a decisive role in creating an NC wave in the Far Western region of the country in the last General Election, is spearheading the ruling party’s battle.

Madhav Kumar Nepal

An observer who just came back from the district told this reporter that Minister Khadka has entrenched himself in Rautahat and he is going all out to ensure a victory for Prakash Koirala. It may be mentioned that Khadka is considered one of the ablest leaders in the second generation of NC leadership.  He is respected widely within the party for his organisational skill and also for his ability of leading from the front. This is something which cannot be said of most of the NC leaders, including Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and also party president Koirala.

On the UML’s side, Rautahat is the district from where the UML General Secretary won the first ever general election he contested.  So, he is concentrating to protect his “turf”.

Insiders predict that due to the able planning and tough stance taken by Minister Khadka, Congress candidate Prakash Koirala is ahead in the race for now. Moreover, his opponent is an unheard of name at the national political level.