JHAPA: Electioneering in Jhapa constituency No. 5 has intensified, with CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and former Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) campaigning aggressively, turning the race into one of the most closely watched contests of the election season.
From mourning rituals at private homes to temples, monasteries and even churches, election discussions have permeated everyday life in the constituency. A video of Balen’s wife Sabina Kafle offering prayers inside a church during the campaign has gone viral on social media, further drawing attention to the contest.
Sabina has also faced allegations of canvassing votes accompanied by women police officers in plain clothes, a controversy that prompted the Election Commission to seek clarification from Balen. The Commission is still investigating the matter.
Voters raise local and national issues
Campaign agendas in Jhapa-5 range from local livelihood concerns to national political questions. During a visit to Gauriganj on Monday, voters questioned Balen about issues such as the Pathibhara cable car project and the structures damaged during the Gen-Z movement.
However, when asked about his party’s manifesto, Balen avoided a direct response, saying the manifesto would be unveiled only after February 16, and that he was currently focused on meeting voters.
Meanwhile, Sabina has been drawing attention by posing for photos with guintha (cow dung cakes), a move widely seen as a symbolic jab at Oli following his controversial remarks on the subject. She has shared several such images while interacting with locals, amplifying the debate.
Oli under pressure over ‘guintha’ comment
Oli, on the other hand, has found himself defending his earlier remarks about cow dung and traditional fuel use. While campaigning in Gauriganj on Monday, local residents confronted the controversy, urging that his statement not be misinterpreted.
“Cow dung is useful for agriculture, and converting it into biogas is even better. But daily use of dung smoke can harm human health,” said Shravan Giri of Gauriganj-3. “Twisting such a basic point for political propaganda is not right.”
Oli also hit back at critics who accuse him of focusing development only on select areas. “Who took roads to Humla? Who initiated gas exploration in Dailekh? Who expanded the Madan Bhandari Highway and built cricket stadiums?” Oli asked, questioning what he called selective criticism and misinformation.
Campaign heats up amid ethnic sensitivities
Oli, the UML candidate from Jhapa-5, has been actively meeting voters across the constituency. However, his earlier remarks comparing Jhapa to districts like Mahottari and Dhanusha, suggesting Jhapa was more ‘advanced’ and cleaner, have triggered resentment among indigenous Tajpuriya and Rajbanshi communities in Gauriganj, Gauradaha and Kamal rural municipalities.
After those comments, Sabina’s decision to accept and display cow dung cakes as a gift further escalated tensions, with critics accusing Balen and his team of exploiting cultural practices for electoral gain.
Despite the controversy, cow dung cakes remain widely used in parts of Jhapa-5, especially during winter. In dozens of settlements, residents still prepare and dry dung cakes for cooking until the monsoon arrives.
As campaigning intensifies, both Oli and Balen appear to be leveraging the controversy to consolidate their respective voter bases, turning a cultural remark into a central political flashpoint in Jhapa-5.
Comment