The Kaski District Committee of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has recommended its candidate for the by-election in Kaski constituency No 2.

At a meeting of the party’s district committee on Friday, leaders unanimously decided to recommend the name of Bidhya Bhattarai as their candidate for the upcoming by-election. Bhattarai is the widow of Rabindra Adhikari, the minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation who died in a helicopter crash in Taplejung on February 27.

The constituency has been vacant since Adhikari’s death. Adhikari was elected from the constituency in 2017 for the then CPN-UML. Krishna Thapa, the NCP district chairman, said they endorsed the candidate unanimously and sent the recommendation to the provincial committee. Thapa said, “A meeting of the provincial committee will approve the name and send it to the centre on Saturday.”

However, Bhattarai did not make any comments saying that the party’s provincial and central committees had yet to approve her candidacy. The Kaski-2 by-election for a member of the House of Representatives is scheduled for November 30.

Even as the poll approaches, the main opposition Nepali Congress and other parties are yet to pick their candidates. The NC’s regional committee has asked party members to register their names by depositing Rs 10,000 to the party. Sixteen party members have submitted their names.

On Wednesday, the Sajha Party announced its candidate. Organising a press meet in Pokhara, the party declared Rajani KC as its candidate for the vote.