Nagarik unmukti party withdraws candidacy for Kailali chief, Congress candidate likely unopposed

Dhangadhi: The Nagarik Unmukti Party (Naupa), which had initially registered its candidate for the post of Kailali District Coordination Committee chief, has decided to withdraw its candidacy.

Rupmati Dagoura Tharu, who had filed her nomination on behalf of Naupa, will not contest the by-election. Naupa's decision to withdraw comes after the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML formed an alliance in the District Coordination Committee Kailali, which has given them a majority of votes.

Naupa spokesperson Damodar Pandit explained the decision, stating, "There are a total of 25 votes in Kailali, and the winner needs 13 votes. Despite Naupa being the largest party in Kailali, the Congress-UML alliance secures 13 votes, with Congress holding eight and UML five."

Prem Bhatta, acting chief of the Provincial Election Office in Kailali, confirmed that Naupa had not formally withdrawn the candidacy as of Tuesday. The deadline for withdrawal is Wednesday, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

If Naupa's withdrawal is formalized, Nepali Congress candidate Tika Kumari Chaudhary Bhul is expected to be elected unopposed. Bhul, a Dalit woman representing Kailari Rural Municipality-2, is backed by the Congress-UML alliance.

The by-election was necessitated following the demise of Padam Bahadur Kalle, the previously elected chief from the Nepali Congress, on Poush 23, 2079. The Congress-UML alliance has coordinated to support Bhul, with the UML pledging its votes to the Congress candidate.

Bhul's nomination is supported by Kailari Rural Municipality Chairman Rajsamj Chaudhary and proposed by Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City Deputy Mayor Kandakala Rana. The Congress-UML alliance has 13 votes in Kailali, while Naupa holds seven, the Maoist Center three (with Tikapur Deputy Mayor suspended), the Samajwadi Party one, and an independent one.

By-elections for various vacant municipal, ward, and district coordination committee posts, including Kailali chief, are scheduled for Mangsir 16.