KATHMANDU: While election fervor grips much of the country ahead of the March 5 House of Representatives polls, flood-affected areas of Roshi in Kavrepalanchok Constituency-2 remain largely devoid of campaign activity.
The election is being held by the interim government formed after the recent Gen-Z movement. However, in Roshi, which was severely hit by torrential rains in the second week of mid-October 2024 (Asoj 2081 BS), the atmosphere is markedly different.
Locals say the devastation caused by heavy rainfall, worsened by climate change and unregulated mining in the area, displaced many families after their homes and farmlands were swept away.
Despite a four-way contest among the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), Nepali Congress, Nepal Communist Party, and the Rastriya Swatantra Party, along with independent candidates, residents claim that candidates have not actively reached out to them.
Radhika KC, a local resident, said leaders are occasionally seen walking along the roads, but none have visited homes seeking votes. “We see them on the streets, but they have not come to our doorsteps,” she said.
Families whose homes and farmlands have turned into barren riverbeds said they received only minimal relief—two or three sacks of rice and some cash assistance. They allege that both local authorities and the government have failed to address their long-term problems.
In the 2022 House of Representatives election, Gokul Baskota of the CPN-UML won the seat with 45,345 votes.
In the upcoming election, UML has fielded 54-year-old central committee member Ashok Kumar Byanju, Nepali Congress has nominated 61-year-old central member Madhu Prasad Acharya, Rastriya Swatantra Party has nominated 33-year-old Badan Kumar Bhandari, and the Nepali Communist Party has fielded 55-year-old Basundhara Humagain.
A two-day downpour had caused the Roshi River to swell, sweeping away several settlements in Panauti Municipality and Roshi Rural Municipality. Homes, farmland, schools, and concrete bridges were destroyed. With reconstruction yet to take place, the condition of the area remains largely unchanged.
For many residents, rebuilding their lives has taken precedence over electoral politics.
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