As many as 31 women, who have shone through the Nepali political spectrum have filed their candidatures for the elections to the House of Representatives (HoR) under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system.
Among those women registering candidacies for the federal elections to be held on November 20 are five from Nepali Congress (NC), 11 from CPN-UML and seven from the CPN (Maoist Center).
Similarly, three women are from RPP, one each from CPN (Unified Socialist), Rastriya Janamorcha and Nagarik Unmukti Party and two women have filed their candidacies on an independent basis.
The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has fielded Deputy General Secretary Dina Upadhyaya alias ‘Mahalaxmi’, outgoing Deputy Speaker Pushpa Bhusal, former Deputy Speaker Chitralekha Yadav and central member duo Sujata Koirala and Sita Gurung.
Deputy General Secretary Upadhyaya has filed her candidacy from Makwanpur-1, Bhusal from Arghakhanchi, Yadav from Siraha-2, Koirala from Morang-2 and Gurung has filed her nomination from Tehrathum.
In the general elections held in 2074 BS, the NC had fielded seven women candidates under the House of Representatives (HoR). Of those who failed to make it through the previous elections, Dr Arzu Rana Deuba and central member duo Ishwari Neupane and Saraswati Bajimaya have become candidacies under the proportional representation.
Similarly, main opposition UML has fielded Komal Oli, Bidya Bhattarai, Padma Aryal, Shanta Chaudhari, Bhagawati Chaudhari, Niru Pal, Julikumari Mahato, Gauri Wali, Jwala Kumari Sah, Manju Chaudhari and Manju Sharma Chalise as women candidates.
UML has fielded Komal from Dang-3, Bidya from Kaski-2, Padma from Syangja-2, Shanta from Dang-1, Bhagawati from Sunsari-3, Niru from Kanchanpur-3, Julikumari from Dhanusha-3, Gauri from Doti, Jwala Kumari from Bara-3, Manju Chaudhari from Udayapur-1 and Manju Sharma Chalise from Baglung-2.
In the general elections of 2074, the UML had fielded only five women candidates under the House of Representatives.
Coalition partner Maoist Center has fielded Pampha Bhusal from Lalitpur-3, former Deputy Speaker Onsari Gharti from Kathmandu-2, Rekha Sharma from Dang-2, Bina Magar from Kanchanpur-1, Manushi Yami Bhattarai from Kathmandu-7, Kalpana Dhamala from Kathmandu-9 and Goma Kunwar from Jumla under the HoR.
Similarly, RPP that has forged an alliance with the UML, has fielded Rekha Thapa, General Secretary Kunti Shahi and Kunti Pokharel as women candidates.
Rekha has filed her nomination from Morang-1, General Secretary Shahi from Dailekh-1, Pokharel from Kathmandu-1 for the elections to the HoR.
Similarly, CPN (Unified Socialist) has fielded youth leader Ram Kumari Jhankri, and Durga Paudel has been fielded by Janamorcha.
Jhankri is contesting polls from Gulmi-2 and Paudel from Pyuthan.
Ranjita Shrestha is contesting polls from Kailali-1, representing Rastriya Unmukti Party under the HoR. Nagarik Unmukti Party was founded by Resham Chaudhari, the main accused in the Tikapur carnage. Shrestha is the wife of Chaudhari.
Likewise, youth leaders Ranju Darshana and Ganga Chaudhari Satgauwa have filed candidacies as independent candidates.
Ranju had run for the post of Kathmandu mayor in the previous local level polls.
Chaudhari filed nomination for the elections to the HoR as a rebel candidate of the UML.
In the general elections held in 2074, only six candidates had made it through the HoR.
Out of 191 women candidates filing nominations this time, the number of women candidates, who will make it through the federal elections, will be known only after November 20.
