ILLAM, April 4: The CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) have reached an agreement to field a common candidate in the upcoming by-elections of Ilam Constituency-2 scheduled for May 28. Both parties have pledged their support for the UML candidate, Suhang Nembang.
Dhirendra Sharma Raman, a member of the Maoist Center’s Central Committee and a recommended candidate by the party, confirmed to Republica that they have been directed by the party leadership to support the UML candidate.
The crowd favorite
"It appears the top leadership of both parties have reached an agreement, and we have received instructions from the central leadership to back the UML candidate in Ilam-2," Sharma stated. "The party's decision will be duly executed."
The Maoist Center’s District Committee had recommended Sharma to be the sole candidate. Even his election campaign had started without a decision from the center on time.
In the 2022 election, UML's Subas Chandra Nembang, Suhang’s father who died in September last year, had won with 30,000 votes from this constituency. His rival, Dambar Bahadur Khadka of the Nepali Congress, had got 29,906 votes. Khadka was the candidate of the then ruling coalition.
Prakash Sapkota of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) got 1,380 votes. On the proportional side, UML got 26,562 votes, Nepali Congress 22,333 votes, Maoists 5,153 votes and RSP 4,686 votes.
The RSP has nominated Milan Limbu as its candidate, while the Nepali Congress is yet to finalize its candidate. The RPP has fielded Laxmi Gurung, and CPN (Unified Socialist) has nominated Jit Bahadur Rai.
