The Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal has emerged victorious in Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City, a centre of the Madhes agitation, as the vote counting of the third-phase local elections in Province 2 nears its end.

 

The RJP-N registered an impressive victory in both the mayoral and deputy mayoral posts. Lal Kishor Sah and Rita Jha were elected mayor and deputy mayor respectively by defeating their rivals with huge margins.

 

Lal Kishor garnered 21,903 votes while his closest rival Manoj Kumar Sah of the Nepali Congress got 11,164 votes. Rita defeated NC candidate Nilam Karna with 17,147 votes against 10,605.

 

“I’m a servant of Janakpur and I want to work as the servant of Goddess Janaki for the welfare of the local people,” Lal Kishor said after his victory.

 

Janakpur, a historical town in Dhanusha district with cultural and religious significance, was considered a stronghold of the ruling NC. It was the home district of the late NC leader Mahendra Narayan Nidhi. His son Bimalendra Nidhi is an influential leader in the party.

 

Bimalendra tried to retain the party’s position in Janakpur. He organised an election rally which was addressed by NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba, senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel, General Secretary Shashank Koirala and senior leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula, among others. He had stayed in the district for a few days canvassing for votes.

 

Dhanusha President of the NC Ramsaroj Yadav claimed that the party’s candidates were defeated in the local polls due to the betrayal of some party leaders and activists. He also blamed the party’s poor management for the defeat.

 

Another faction of the NC, however, claimed that the unilateral decision of the Bimalendra faction in candidate selection was the major cause of the loss. “The Congress mayoral candidate is a junior activist. Some senior friends were reluctant to be ward candidates after he was selected for the mayoral post.

 

As a result, the election results were against us,” said an NC activist seeking anonymity.

 

BARA: CPN-UML candidates have been elected as mayor and deputy mayor in Jitpur Simara Sub-Metropolitan City. UML candidate Krishna Poudel won the mayoral race with 14,868 votes against 12,043 of his closest rival Krishna Brat Singh from the NC.

UML’s Saraswati Chaudhary was elected deputy mayor with 14,459 votes. NC deputy mayoral candidate Narayani Rayamajhi got 12,465 votes.

 

Party Win Lead

NC 37 3

UML 16 2

Maoist Centre 21 0

SSF-N 24 4

RJP-N 23 0

NLF 3 0

Others 3 0