DHADING, Dec 13: “We gave you what you asked for and now it’s your turn to address our demands,” said Laxmi Gurung of Nilkantha Municipality ward-4 while congratulating a leader after his victory in the recent parliamentary elections. Despite being listed as a municipality, there are no blacktopped roads, schools and health posts here. Locals have no option than to reach the capital even for basic facilities. Now that the elections are over, they are hopeful that they won’t have to go through the same ordeal anymore.
“They all had pledged to make various changes. We are hopeful that they will live up to our expectations and won’t disappoint us,” Gurung said. However, she is not the only one who seems hopeful from the newly-elected representatives. There are thousands of locals like her who are expecting drastic changes in their villages within the next few years.
Voters not ready to change their mindset
During the elections, leaders who were hardly seen in villages had reached at the doorsteps and even the fields of voters to seek votes. “For the next five years, it will be our duty to evaluate and analyze their works,” said Shyam Bishwakarma of Ganga Jamuna Municipality.
According to him, leaders should at first make efforts to uplift the educational and health status of the district. Two newly elected parliamentary leaders of the district and four members of the to-be formed provincial assembly travelled back to the villages after winning the elections to express their gratitude to the voters. Covered by garlands all over and smeared with red vermillion powder, the leaders once again assured the voters that they would work on earthquake reconstruction, construction of roads in rural areas and will also make efforts to minimize unemployment.
“We hope their promises won’t be just another pretence as in the past,” said Maila Tamang of Rubi Valley Rural Municipality.
While celebrating his victory, Bhumi Prasad Tripathi, who got elected to the federal parliamentary from constituency 1, promised to make Dhading prosperous within the next few years.
Meanwhile, Khem Prasad Lohani who also won a seat to the House of Representatives from constituency 2 said that reconstruction is his main agenda.
