Ambitious manifestos
The Himalayan Times
11 May 2017
Ambitious manifestos
The
local level elections to be held on 14 May in three provinces after about 20
years have raised curiosity, enthusiasm and expectations among the local
population. Nominated candidates for mayors, deputy mayors and other positions
are busy with home visits and campaigning to lure voters. Political parties
have put in all their efforts to declare ambitious manifestos and development
programmes. It seems that their manifests, if sincerely implemented, would turn
all the metropolitan, sub-metropolitan and rural municipalities into prosperous
cities and towns within the next five years as recently mentioned in the manifesto
of Nepali Congress Mayoral candidate for Kathmandu Metropolitan City “Joshi
promises “well-managed metropolis” (THT, May 9, Page 3)
All
the major political parties have made several promises in their political
manifestos. They have even join hands together to get elected in spite of their
different political principles and ideologies. What a political drama is there
to see in these local level elections. Many such promises were made by them in
the past also. None of them were fulfilled. However, political awareness level
of voters, especially in the urban and semi urban areas has significantly
increased which could be one of the crucial factors for electing the right
representatives in the upcoming elections rather than blindly going after the
political parties. If this really happens, appropriate representatives will be
elected who will be the real change agents in the new federal set-up.
Time
is running fast. Not many days are left for the first phase of elections. There
were not sufficient days for properly educating the voters. Confusions among
them still persist; where to put the stamps on the ballot papers with multiple
symbols representing different political parties.
Rai Biren
Bangdel
Maharajgunj,
Kathmandu
