The district election commission based in Nepal’s Arghakhanchi district of Western Nepal has told media that an unidentified group has disturbed the re-poll being held at Jukena that lies within the district’s constituency number 2. It is not known yet why the security personnel deployed there did not arrest and investigate the booth invaders. But the election officer declared the re-poll for 17 April.
After having lost dozens of seats, the Nepali Congress and UML leaders have given very aggressive and anti-peace process remarks, creating a high level of frustration among their party cadres.
UML leader, who recently lost the election in Jhapa of eastern Nepal, frequently used to give instigating speeches saying that Maoists were planning to murder him. Consequently, UML party cadres were involved in violence in different places, killing a Maoist youth worker.
Ex-Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka, on the eve of the 10 April constituent assembly poll, had mobilized armed police that massacred at least seven Maoist cadres in Dang district. Khadka has now lost the election.
Many had feared that such a massacre on the eve of the election might badly affect the scheduled poll. But the constituent assembly poll was successfully held on 10 April. The majority of people voted for Maoist agenda addressing grassroot people while the Nepali Congress and the Emaalay, which generally represent the middle and elite classes, lost more seats.
Many remember older days when it was quite normal for the the UML and the Nepali Congress to capture booths on election days when many innocent voters would be killed in violence. During the current constituent assembly poll process, Indo-Nepal border has been sealed off to prevent any untoward events. National and international communities have appreciated the 10 April constituent assembly poll.