BAITADI, JHAPA, SURKHET, Feb 25: People across the country are quite excited about the announcement of local election by the government. Locals in various parts of the country including Jhapa, Baitadi and Surkhet said the local election has come a 'great relief' as the local bodies have been running without elected representatives for 19 years.

Let alone people affiliated to political parties, even commoners from almost every walk of life share a sense of optimism and express commitment to make the election a success, notes Man Singh Jagari, former president of Haat VDC of Baitadi district. He added that local election has become the topic of discussions and debate at even the teashops.

“At the tea shops, crossroads, marketplaces - wherever you go, you find people talking about elections,” he said, excitedly. “Locals here want to see the election take place on the said date. Everyone is ready to support as they feel the country would take a new turn after the election,” he added.

Similarly, Chandra Bhandari, Vice Chairperson of Mechinagar Sub Metropolitan shared that the news of local elections has made the people quite hopeful at once. “Local elections strengthen the democratic values strong from the roots. But in Nepal, they haven't been held for such a long time. Such elections also boost people's leadership capacity,” he noted. Bhandari further said that local elections also give chances to new leaders. “We all are filled with hope and excitement. It's greatly welcome,” he added.

Touching upon the decade-long armed Maoist insurgency, rising aspirations of the people amid never ending political unrest, Bhandari stated that the local level election wills heal the wound of people who have been enduring deep pains for long.

Locals of Surkhet, too, are greatly excited about the election, according to a local politician, Dutta Prasad Acharya. He was 20 when he had participated in the last local election. Now, he is 40. He had lost then, but had hoped to win in the next election which was not held for 19 years. “But now, irrespective of my chances, I am very happy that elections are going to take place,” he said. “Had there been election on time earlier, I would also have become a ward chairman, I feel. But that did not happen,” he added.

Though he regrets not getting the chance to hone his leadership skills for such a long time, he thinks that now others must get this chance. “The positive wave that the news of election has created is amazing. We are eagerly waiting for the election,” he said.

 
• local polls
 
• excited
 
• government
 
• jhapa
 
• baitadi
 
• surkhet