INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
CHITWAN, APRIL 28Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand today met Nepali Congress leader
Jagannath Poudel, who has filed independent candidacy for the post of mayor from Bharatpur metropolis for the upcoming local election.
Nepali Congress leaders favour poll alliance in CWC meet
Foreign Minister arriving in Nepal today
During
the meeting, Minister Khand urged Poudel and his team to withdraw the candidacy and help implement the agreement reached among the five
ruling political parties on electoral alliance in view of the local polls slated for May 13.
Talking to mediapersons after
the meeting, the minister said, "The electoral alliance was forged among the government coalition partners in a special situation and we
have urged Poudel to contribute to its enforcement."Khand said the party was always committed to protecting democracy
Prior to the meeting with Poudel, the minister had met Mina Kharel who had proposed Poudel's candidacy and Krishna Lal Sapkota who backed
it.While talking to media following the meeting with Minister Khand, the independent candidate said that he apprised the minister that it
seemed impossible for him to step aside from the race.It may be noted that the NC has already decided to support the CPN-Maoist Centre in
the election of mayor in Bharatpur.Minister of State Umesh Shrestha, NC Chitwan President Rajeshwor Khanal and other local leaders
accompanied Minister Khand during the meeting.A version of this article appears in the print on April 29, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com