DHADING, Nov 13: Every candidate is aware that an impressive agenda is the key to win elections. So, they often reach out to the locals making larger than life promises which they can hardly deliver. Before the elections, they pledge to make vast improvements in various sectors including education, health, transportation, and business, among others, but they hardly show up after the elections.
At other times, the candidates are mostly found in the cities and district headquarters but during elections, they manage time to visit the doorstep of every single voter. For the upcoming parliamentary and provincial elections slated for November 26, the candidates have once again expedited their visits to the villages to woo voters.
Marichman Tamang of Sertung of Rubi Valley Rural Municipality has participated in four elections so far. He had cast his vote in the local elections of 1997, the Constituent Assembly elections of 2008 and 2013, and the recently-held local elections. "During all these elections, the leaders came up with the same agendas but they have never fulfilled them," he laments. Though the locals voted for several candidates in various elections, it didn't take much for the locals to realize that they were just used as stepping stones.
Tall promises as voters care least about poll manifestoes
The candidates persuaded the locals to vote for them by making unrealistic promises but rarely dedicated themselves for their welfare and development of the people. According to the locals, no candidate can fool them now as they are well aware about their intentions.
Even in this 21st century, several villages of the Rubi Valley including Lapa, Tipling and Sertung are still untouched by roads. Due to the topographical difficulties, locals are obliged to walk for three days to reach to the district headquarters. Besides that, the locals here don't have access to education, health facilities, drinking water and various other services. Some are even obliged to die of illness due to the lack of health facilities. This rural municipality has immense potentials in tourism. However, its resources have never been utilized.
"This time we will cast our votes wisely and only after making sure that the candidates are really determined to improve our lives rather than fulfilling their vested interests," said Sarji Maya Tamang of Sertung. She further informed that women have to suffer a lot due to the lack of health facilities and a large number of youths have to leave for foreign countries in search of employment. "This needs to be solved," she added.
This municipality falls in constituency no.2, where the 'democratic' alliance has fielded NC's Dilman Pakhrin while the left alliance has fielded CPN-UML's Khem Lohani for the parliamentary elections. The election agendas of both these candidates are similar. According to the locals, such agendas and promises no more attract them. They have been time and gain fooled by the parties and leaders but in recent years they have become wise with their decisions.
