As the by-election to elect the mayor and chairperson of Ward No. 7 of Dharan Sub-metropolis in Sunsari district is inching closer, major political parties have been canvassing with voters.

The Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and the Nepali Congress (NC), two main political forces vying for the mayoral by-election scheduled for Nov 30, are in their last-ditch efforts to lure “swing voters”. Both the parties have intensified their poll activities targeting the swing voters of the landless squatters.

Prakash Rai of the ruling NCP, Tilak Rai of the NC, and Gajendra Isbo of Samajbadi Party Nepal, among 23 candidates, are vying for the post of mayor of Dharan Sub-metropolis.

Prakash and Tilak have given due priorities to attract the voters of the landless settlements hoping for victory through the settlement’s numbers. Meanwhile, the rival candidates have assured the squatters safe settlements and the resolution of various other problems.

It is estimated that there are around 24,000 voters of landless people out of the total 92,853 voters in Dharan Sub-metropolitan City.

According to Kumar Karki, the central secretary general of Nepal Basobas Basti Samrakshan Samaj, an organisation of the landless people, only around 6,000 squatters in Dharan are affiliated with any political parties while 18,000 are swing voters. “Their support will be crucial for the candidates of the major parties to win the election,” he added.