MUGU, May 2: None of the political parties in Mugu district have fielded female candidates for the executive position of the local units for upcoming elections slated for May 14.
All the 17 political parties in the district are actively involved in poll campaigns but none of them have yet chosen any female candidate for the major posts of municipalities, rural municipalities and ward offices.
Sole woman candidate for local level election in Kalikot
As the present constitution demands compulsory representation of women in at least two of the major posts, the parties have fielded few women for the post of deputy mayor or vice chairperson. But they have not given ticket for any woman for the post of the office chief. Major political parties like Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist-Center) were expected to field female candidates as they had enough aspirants. However, other political parties were facing hard time finding candidates.
After forging an alliance with the CPN (Maoist Centre), the NC fielded Hari Jung Shahi as the chairperson of Chayanath Rara Municipality while CPN (Maoist Centre) fielded Sur Bahadur Budha for the post of vice chairperson. Likewise, CPN-UML has forwarded the names of Jeet Bahadur Malla for the post of chairperson and Suntala Rokaya as the vice chairperson. It has been found that no women have been fielded for the post of ward chief in any of the 14 wards.
In Khatyang Rural Municipality, Sarita Rokaya from NC, Jayananda Rawal from CPN-UML and Junkali Shahi from CPN (Maoist Center) will be competing for the post of vice Chairperson. Although Mankala Rokaya was aspiring to fight for the post of chairperson of Soru Rural Municipality from CPN (Maoist Center), she was not offered the ticket by the party and so she switched her allegiance to the NC. As a result, Puran Bahadur Shahi was selected for the post by the Maoists. Similarly in Karmarong Rural Municipality, there isn't any female candidate for the post of the rural municipal chief.
According to Khagendra Bahadur Malla, acting chief of NC, Mugu, there are enough female candidates who are capable of shouldering major responsibilities but they are unable to choose them as the party has to coordinate with CPN candidates. Keval Bahadur Malla, coordinator of CPN (Maoist Center), Gamgadhi, said that the party has not been able to select female candidates as the number of active female candidates is very low in the party.
