Election aura fails to attract farmers in Myagdi

BENI: With three weeks left for voting in the local level election, party campaigners have intensified election preparations in Myagdi district.

The leaders and cadres have been reaching every doorstep and wooing the voters.

The villagers here are, however, busy in harvesting wheat, sowing corn and planting vegetables. Paucity of irrigation is a worrying concern for them. They have no time to engage in political campaigns and participate in political debates. Rather, they are dogged with the problems of irrigation, chemical fertilizers, seeds, clean drinking water etc.

“Political leaders visit us during election and assure of many things, but do not deliver as promised and our problems persist,” Dil Bahadur Sapkota from Torakhet of Beni Municipality-3 shared the plight.

Sapkota, who was threshing wheat, expressed worry why agriculture sector was not developed though roadway and communication saw relative progress. “Now, there is three-tiers of government. Why the local government failed to become the government of farmers? We’re desperately waiting for facilities of irrigation, fertilizers, improved seeds and compensation during the loss of crops by the hailstone and floods. So, the election aura does not attract us,” he explained.

There is one municipality and five rural municipalities in Myagdi district while the number of wards stands at 45. Except Ward No 7 and 8 of Beni Municipality, other local levels are rural ones.

Ninety percent of the voters here are farmers from rural areas and associated to agriculture.

Farmers’ apathy to the political campaigning is not only the business due to season’s harvest but the leaders’ sheer indifference to the implementation of promise they made for farmer’s rights, according to Chitra Bahadur Purja from Raghuganga Rural Municipality-4. “We’re dead busy in agricultural works. So, works is more important than election,” he added.

Moreover, another farmer from Bagarphant, Tika Bahadur Karki, said, “If I get break from work, I may go to vote. But I’ve not had time to listen to leaders’ speech anymore.”