JHAPA: KP Sharma Oli, Chairperson of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), returned to Kathmandu on Thursday after completing a week-long voter outreach campaign in Jhapa ahead of the March 5 election.
Oli arrived in Jhapa-5 on February 5 and held direct interactions with voters in around 80 localities across three municipalities, Gauradaha, Kamal and Gauriganj, according to Devendra Dahal, commander of the party’s election mobilization committee.
Dahal said Oli listened to voters’ appreciation, grievances and local concerns during door-to-door interactions. “The chairperson held direct dialogue with voters in nearly 80 settlements. He returned encouraged after meeting them,” Dahal said. “Voters asked questions openly, expressed complaints and shared their problems. They also thanked him for his stance on national interests and sovereignty.”
Party leaders said Oli will begin a similar round of meetings in Damak Municipality after February 16, where he is scheduled to visit around 40 settlements across all 10 wards.
Narayan Gautam, secretary of the election mobilization committee, said Oli met voters in 30 settlements in Kamal Rural Municipality alone. According to him, development, employment, education and hospital construction were among the major issues raised during the meetings.
“Most voters focused on local development agendas while presenting their concerns to the chairperson,” Gautam said.
In Gauradaha-6, voters affected by erosion along the Ratuwa River demanded permanent embankments, construction of a concrete and suspension bridge, and the establishment of a hospital in the area. Jayaram Sapkota, a local resident, said they urged Oli to blacktop the road connecting Schoolchowk to Damuna and to take measures to prevent flooding and inundation caused by the river.
Similarly, voters in Damuna Bazaar called on the party leadership to resolve internal disputes, reconnect party cadres with the public and implement good governance in practice. They also urged Oli to remind local representatives, including the chief minister and other elected officials, to take people’s problems seriously.
Residents of Singiyaduba in Ward No. 6 submitted a written six-point memorandum to Oli. Durga Gangai, vice-chairperson of the UML ward committee, demanded the blacktopping of the Damuna–Singiyadangi–Sinjuwa road and construction of a concrete bridge over the Ratuwa River.
Gangai also called for the immediate upgrading of the agricultural road linking Damuna to the Hulaki Highway to facilitate farmers in transporting produce to Indian markets.
In the border area of Dewanganj in Gauriganj Rural Municipality, voters demanded the installation of a mobile network tower, complaining that they have been forced to rely on Indian telecom towers due to the lack of domestic infrastructure. Locals also requested Oli to visit their settlements more frequently.
Ramila Rajbanshi of Chaituchok, Gauradaha, said she asked Oli to prioritize employment generation over “big political speeches.” She urged him to create an environment where migrant workers, including her husband, could find jobs within the country.
Amar Shiwakoti, a provincial committee member from Gwaldubba in southern Jhapa, said Oli met thousands of voters during the week. “Chairperson Oli believes in first-hand information, which is why he visits villages to meet people directly,” Shiwakoti said. “This time, voters in the southern belt were able to speak openly. Some also expressed dissatisfaction. Every voter has the right to question their representative, and representatives have the responsibility to respond. The chairperson answered every question.”
Ward-level UML leaders said the village-level outreach also helped dispel misconceptions surrounding incidents that occurred on September 8 and 9, as voters were able to seek clarification directly from the party chair.
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