TAPLEJUNG: Olangchunggola of Ward No 7 at Phaktanglung Rural Municipality in Taplejung district has got Chheten Walung as ward chair and other members unopposed.

They were unopposed because there were no other candidacies filed on their posts to fight the local level election slated for May 13.

The community at Olangchunggola had unanimously elected Chheten Walung from CPN UML as ward chair while four members from Nepali Congress. Phupulhamu Shrestha was elected unopposed a woman member, and Bipana Tumbahamphe BK a Dalit member.

Information officer at district election office, Bipin Dulal, viewed they were elected unopposed after no candidacies were filed against them. The villagers forged agreement on the posts before filing candidacies.

Olangchunggola is a remote mountainous settlement located at 3,500 meter altitude. There are 53 houses and 277 voters. A gathering of the people elected the ward chair and members without any contenders against them.

The newly elected ward chair Chheten was defeated by only one vote in the local election, 2074. However, he was later elected as a member of executive council from the indigenous quota.

It was said the 2074 local level election caused bitterness among the villagers, so the villagers and youths forged consensus on leadership selection this time.