Kathmandu, March 2
With just three days remaining before the scheduled parliamentary elections on March 5, Nepal's interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Monday urged citizens to actively participate in the polls, describing the vote as an opportunity to shape their own future and that of their children.
Nepal is going for fresh elections after the Gen-Z movement in September last year toppled the government led by former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. An interim government was subsequently formed under Karki's leadership with a mandate to conduct elections within six months.
Despite initial apprehensions expressed by some political forces, including the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) or CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress - whose coalition government was brought down by the Gen-Z movement -all major political parties, including these two traditional rivals, are contesting the upcoming elections.
Addressing the nation ahead of both the elections and the Holi festival, which began in the hilly regions of the country on Monday, the Prime Minister urged voters to take part in the polls to move the country forward on the path of political stability and prosperity.
"Casting your vote is not merely stamping an election symbol and securing victory for someone. It is a decision about the kind of future you want for yourself and your children," Prime Minister Karki said.
Nepal is electing 275 members to the House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament. Of these, 165 seats will be filled under the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system, while 110 will be elected through proportional representation. A total of 3,406 candidates from 67 political parties are contesting under the FPTP system.
Prime Minister Karki also expressed satisfaction that her government successfully navigated a complex political transition following the Gen-Z movement, amid widespread uncertainty about the country's political trajectory. During the protests on September 8 and 9, at least 77 people were killed in police action and other incidents, while public and private property worth more than NPR 84 billion was damaged, according to government estimates.
"The situation following the Gen-Z movement was complex, sensitive, and challenging. There was anger among the youth on the streets, fear in everyone's hearts, and uncertainty about the nation's future. Our first duty was to manage that difficult transition, steer the country away from violence toward a peaceful resolution, and return it to the constitutional path," she said. "We have successfully navigated that phase and achieved stability."
She also urged political parties, candidates, and supporters to strictly observe discipline during the silence period, which begins at midnight on Monday, when all campaigning must cease.
Referring to the spread of fabricated content on social media during the election campaign, the Prime Minister called on citizens not to fall prey to misinformation and disinformation, warning that those responsible could face legal action.
On the situation of Nepalis in the Middle East, where the US-Iran war has engulfed much of the region, she said her government is closely monitoring developments and has activated Nepali diplomatic missions to ensure the safety of Nepali nationals. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday that one Nepali national was killed during Iranian attacks in Abu Dhabi, while the safety of more than 1.7 million Nepalis residing in 12 countries of the region remains at risk.
- IANS
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