KATHMANDU: CPN-Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has objected to portrayal of women candidates merely as daughters and wives during election campaigning.

Addressing an election rally of the ruling coalition in Kathmandu on Friday, he said campaigning female candidates merely as someone’s daughter and wife in the election was equivalent to insulting women in general.

“People have made negative comments regarding two mayoral candidates,” he said, referring to mayoral candidate Srijana Singh in Kathmandu and Renu Dahal in Bharatpur.

Singh is the wife of Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh and Dahal herself is Prachanda’s daughter.

“Some people are humiliating women by embracing the narrative that female mayoral candidates are someone’s daughter and someone’s wife. This kind of practice also undermines the real potential of women,” he said.

He added that he was against the trend of campaigning women candidates as daughters and wives.

He sought support for the two mayoral candidates in the rally.

“There is historical evidence that where women have led, progress have been felt and seen. Men have led for long but could achieve very less. Therefore, let’s give women candidates chance,” he said.