The CPN (Maoist Centre) has decided not to field a candidate in the upcoming by-election in Ilam-2. The party has announced to back CPN-UML’s candidate Suhang Nembang in the April 27 by-poll.

The CPN-UML and the UCPN (Maoist Centre) are two major partners of the ruling coalition formed last month.

Haribol Gajurel, the party’s in-charge for Koshi Province, issued a circular on Thursday directing leaders and cadres not to file a candidacy for the Ilam-2 seat, following instructions from the party’s headquarters.

“A circular has been issued directing us to support the UML candidate. We will not file a nomination now for the seat,” Dhirendra Sharma, who was recommended as a candidate from the party’s local chapter, told the Post.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party has fielded Milan Limbu as its candidate for the seat, while the Nepali Congress is yet to finalise its candidates for the by-polls.

The Ilam-2 House of Representatives seat has been vacant since the demise of former Speaker and Constituent Assembly chairman Subas Chandra Nembang in September last year. The UML leader had continuously won the constituency starting with the 1999 general elections.

In the November 2022 poll, Nembang defeated his closest contender Dambar Bahadur Khadka of the Nepali Congress by 114 votes. While Nembang garnered 30,020 votes, Khadka, a common candidate of the Congress-led alliance, managed to get 29,906.

The Election Commission is going to hold elections for a House of Representatives seat in Ilam-2 and a provincial seat in Bajhang (A) on April 27.