Elections 2022
The newly-established Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is ringing the bell in Kathmandu valley, giving a major jolt to old political forces as results of the November 20 elections continue to filter in from across the country.
According to the Election Commission’s updates, four RSP candidates have won the HoR seats from constituencies 2,6, 7, and 8 in Kathmandu, with four others leading the race in their respective constituencies.
Sobita Gautam won the election in Kathmandu-2, securing 15,229 votes out of the total 52,956 votes cast in the constituency. Her closest opponent Mani Ram Phuyal from the CPN-UML got 11,555 votes.
After winning the election, Gautam took to social media to thank everyone.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to all my loved ones who believed in me and actively participated in my election campaign,” Gautam wrote on her Facebook page.
“I will represent people's concerns for the next five years and lobby in the parliament. I am hoping for a lot of support from here in this work. Thank you!”
Similarly, RSP’s Ganesh Parajuli in a neck-to-neck competition between and Shyam Kumar Ghimire from the CPN-UML in Kathmandu-7, the former garnered 8,743 votes against Ghimire’s 8,600 votes.
Expressing his gratitude on his social media handle, Facebook, Parajuli wrote: “Today on November 7, 2079, the day that history was carved, the day that the citizens proved that change is possible with the power of their voting rights, supporting the slogan ‘You are our people on the journey of change and prosperity’.
“All our well-wishers who live in the country and abroad, the general voters of Kathmandu-7,” he said, adding that the election result had brought along more responsibility.
“I expect full cooperation with all the candidates participating in the election with the strong desire to build the country. Also thanks to the Election Commission.”
Shishir Khanal gave RSP their fourth HoR seat, winning the race from Kathmandu-6. Khanal received 14,204 votes against his closest rival Sarbendra Khanal of CPN-UML's 8,911. Nepali Congress' Bhimsen Das Pradhan garnered 8,805 votes, Election Officer Samjhana Khanal said.
Twenty-four candidates, including 11 independents, were in the race from the constituency.
Biraj Bhakta Shrestha won the race in Kathmandu-8, garnering 10,105 votes against Hamro Nepali Party’s Suman Sayami, who received 6,174 votes.
Shrestha was the first among the Lamichhane-led party candidates to win the HoR seat in the parliamentary elections.
Congratulating Shrestha on his victory, the party leader Rabi Lamichhane wrote: "The journey has just started. I am assured that your representation will give a new dimension to the parliament. Congratulations for being elected as HoR representative."
Meanwhile, four other RSP candidates were leading the race in their respective constituencies at the time of writing this report.
Dr Toshima Karki from Lalitpur-3, Hari Dhakal from Chitwan-1 and Lal Bikram Thapa from Sunsari-2, are leading against their contenders in the ongoing vote counting.
Party chair Lamichhane had extended his lead in Chitwan-2 by more than double the votes of his nearest rival Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel of CPN-UML. Lamichhane has received 21,101 votes so far.
Dr Toshima Karki had also taken a runway lead in Lalitipur-3. She has received 18477 votes, while her nearest opponent CPN-UML’s Amrit Khadka had 9,422 votes.
However, Dr Karki has asked her well-wishers to keep patience, saying that more than 40 per cent of votes are yet to be counted.
