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VOL. 27, NO. 30, April 04, 2008 (Chaitra 22 2064 B.S.)
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Fall Of Titans
From east to west, many established leaders were made to bite the dust by political minnows
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
The most astounding result of the recently concluded Constituent Assembly (CA) election could be the defeat of Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal who lost from two constituencies he contested.
Nepal – a prime ministerial candidate projected by the UML, which was confident of windfall in the election – was routed by unknown Maoist candidates in Kathmandu-2 and Rautahat-6 constituencies.
Following his defeat and stunning loss suffered by his party, which has been cast to third place, Nepal
resigned from the position of general secretary.
But Nepal is not the only prominent leader to have suffered defeat in the election. Nepali Congress’s
acting president Sushil Koirala, too, lost in Banke 3 constituency.
One former prime minister (Surya Bahadur Thapa, president Rastriya Janashakti Party), three deputy
prime ministers (Bamdev Gautam, KP Oli, Bharat Mohan Adhikary), three home ministers (Khum Bahadur Khadka, Krishna Sitaula and Govinda Raj Joshi) were also knocked down.
Apart from Koirala who was defeated by a Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) candidate, all others lost to Maoist candidates.
Nepal was downed by Jhakku Prasad Subedi in Kathmandu and by Devendra Patel in Rautahat.
“I had to be in CA just as Nepal should have been in the CA. Our chairman had proposed for electoral
alliance but he refused. His arrogance got him,” Subedi said.
In the east, the sitting Home minister and an influential Congress leader who was also deeply involved in the peace process Sitaula was ousted by Purna Singh Rajbanshi in Jhapa.
“It the people who helped me win. It has nothing to do
with what status my opponent held,” said Rajbanshi.
In nearby Jhapa-7 constituency, UML strongman KP Oli lost to Bishwodeep Lingden.
“The people decided to throw out the leaders who did nothing for them,” Lingden said.
Surya Bahadur Thapa, the 80-year-old seasoned politician, had to face a bitter defeat in Dhankuta 2.
He came in the third place in the vote count. His constituency was won by Hariraj Limbu, who was far
younger than him both in terms of age and political experience.
In the west, Koirala was also cast to third place in Banke where Sarbadev Ojha won the seat.
“People have chosen based on our agenda and programs,” said Ojha.
In Bardiya district, the UML leader Bamdev Gautam was defeated by 38-year-old Sarala Regmi.
NC heavyweight Khum Bahadur Khadka lost in Dang 1 constituency.
Khadka was ousted by 28-year-old Indrajeet Tharu. “The people of Dang, the marginalized and poor section of society have chosen me,” said Tharu.
Other heavyweights who suffered defeat include Pashupati SJB Rana, president of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). Rana tasted electoral defeat for the first time in last three and a half decade of his political career when he lost from both constituencies in Sindhupalchowk with wide margin.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s daughter Sujata and nephew Dr. Shekhar Koirala also lost the election.
As these heavyweights will now have to stay out of the Constituent Assembly, which will write a new
constitution, the political underdogs need to prove their mettle by fulfilling the commitments they have
made to their voters.
