The CPN-UML has decided to field Krishna Bahadur Thapa for the post of mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City.

Thapa has resigned as a Provincial Assembly member to file his nomination for the mayoral post.

Though the UML on Saturday had decided to field Deepak Poudel as Pokhara mayor, the party withdrew his name after a video surfaced in which he is seen stealing gold from a jewellery shop in Pokhara.

The new candidate Thapa, however, is also not free of controversy. He had run into controversy after he demanded the release of those who were detained on charge of caste-based discrimination.

On May 6, 2020, Thapa had issued a statement demanding unconditional release of people who were detained on charge of racial discrimination.

Thapa had issued the statement in the favour of the local Chettri community who were barring members of the Dalit community to use the house built in a public space for people to stay for the final rites of a deceased after the funeral.

Thapa, who was then a CPN (Maoist Centre) state committee member and the party’s Kaski district chairman, had issued a statement demanding the unconditional release of Maoist Centre ward secretaries Ram Bahadur GC and Janak Thapa.

Meanwhile, the UML has fielded Keshav Sthapit for the mayoral post in Kathmandu. Sthapit faces sexual harassment charges by at least two women.

Sthapit filed his candidacy on Monday.