SURUNGA: Construction of a bridge over the Kankai River, connecting Jhapa Rural Municipality–2 and Gauriganj Rural Municipality–1 along the Hulaki Highway, began 14 years ago but remains incomplete.
The 723-meter-long bridge, launched under a “design and build” model at a cost of Rs 340.9 million including taxes, has achieved only 56 percent physical progress. After the Department of Roads cancelled the contract due to delays by the construction company, uncertainty has grown over when the bridge will be completed.
As the House of Representatives election approaches, voters in the constituency have one common question for candidates: when will the Kankai bridge be completed?
Deu Kumar Thebe Limbu, a House of Representatives candidate and also the president of Nepali Congress Jhapa, said voters raise the bridge issue even before candidates can present their agendas. “The development of Jhapa–4, which has long lagged behind, is our top priority,” he said.
Chhabi Paudel of Situmari, Jhapa Rural Municipality–1, said voters will no longer be swayed by assurances similar to those made in the past.
Jhapa–4 has 130,712 voters, with 16 candidates contesting the election, including nominees from the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Maoist Centre, Rastriya Swatantra Party, and other alternative parties.
Since the first general election in 1991, Jhapa–4 has largely been a battleground between the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML. While past results show these two traditional parties remain strong, voter interest in new political forces and alternative platforms has been growing.
The UML maintained dominance in the 2017 and 2022 House of Representatives elections, but the rising influence of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and other alternative groups has made the contest between old and new political forces increasingly competitive.
Only after March 5 will it be clear whether traditional political forces will retain their hold in Jhapa–4 or whether a new political current will emerge.
Comment