Kathmandu, December 10
While the leftist alliance consisting of CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre is heading to a historic win in the House of Representatives elections, two key architects of the alliance have lost the polls in their own constituencies.
UML’s Vice-Chairman Bamdev Gautam and CPN-Maoist Centre’s senior leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha lost the polls. Both were among few leaders who desperately wanted the alliance between two parties against the Nepali Congress on the basis of their communist identity.
Gautam lost the polls to Nepali Congress leader and incumbent Minister for Irrigation Sanjaya Kumar Gautam in Bardiya-1 as per the results announced today. Likewise, Maoist Centre’s second-in-command was defeated by Naya Shakti Party Nepal Coordinator Baburam Bhattarai in Gorkha-2.
Bamdev Gautam was considered one of the major negotiators for the alliance formation on behalf of the UML. He had been advocating for the electoral partnership and unification among communist forces for last few months before the formal announcement of the alliance. As early as in May, he had announced that Maoist Centre’s Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal would break ties with the Nepali Congress and would form the alliance with UML.
Likewise, Shrestha was said to be dissatisfied with his party’s partnership with the Nepali Congress in the incumbent and past government led by his party’s Chairman Dahal. He had also been publicly speaking for the unification among communist forces.
