Kathmandu, February 18 Nepal's oldest and newest political parties intensified their election campaigns on Wednesday, with just 15 days left for the March 5 general elections.
While the oldest party, the Nepali Congress (NC), released its election manifesto on Wednesday, the newest, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), will officially unveil its manifesto on Thursday.
NC's newly elected President Gagan Thapa unveiled the manifesto, known as the "Commitment Paper," at the party's first grand public meeting in Janakpurdham, the capital of Madhesh province.
"Prosperity, inclusivity, and economic development are the primary goals of the Nepali Congress," the manifesto stated.
Its 10-point commitments include "a life with dignity," "big dreams," "job creation and prosperity," "good governance," and "self-respect."
While unveiling the election manifesto, 49-year-old Thapa, who revolted against the party's old-generation leadership by convening a Special Convention a couple of months ago, announced, "I am not the leader, but the son of Madhesh."
Thapa, who had been elected from the Kathmandu-4 constituency in the 2022 election and earlier polls, chose the Dhanusha district in Madhesh province to build momentum for the NC.
He is the prime ministerial candidate of the NC.
Similarly, the RSP, led by Ravi Lamichhane, will unveil its manifesto, known as the "Citizens' Contract Paper," on Thursday, which emphasizes employment and economic growth.
It will be unveiled in western Nepal's Karnali province and includes, among other things, employment for 1.2 million people and increasing the per capita income of each citizen to USD 3,000, up from the current USD 1,450, within a five-year period.
RSP's senior leader and prime ministerial candidate Balendra Shah "Balen" addressed the party's first grand election rally called "Parivartan Udghosh" in Sudurpaschim province's Dhangadi on Wednesday.
"We have come here not to seek 'votes,' but to ask for work," Balen said in his four-minute speech addressing thousands of people.
"We will work for the prosperity of Far Western Nepal (Sudurpaschim), whether we win or lose the election," he said.
Some leaders talk about turning our country into Switzerland, but we don't talk like that, as we have more beautiful places than Switzerland," he said.
"Though you have great artists in Sudupaschim, who have one million subscribers, but your songs are not heard in Kathmandu. The country will be united only when the songs of the Far-Western Nepal are also played in the capital city," said the former rapper turned Mayor of Kathmandu, who is aiming at the top executive post of the country.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), chaired by deposed Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, has announced that it will unveil the election manifesto at a press conference in Kathmandu on Thursday.
The House of Representatives election will be held on March 5 in the Himalayan nation.
