32 NC leaders who could be elected under PR system [With List]

KATHMANDU: The Election Commission has already published the final counting results of first past the post (FPTP) voting. The proportionate representation (PR) vote count is also said to be in its final leg.

Nepali Congress, which became the largest party in the FPTP vote count winning 57 seats, is trailing CPN-UML in the PR vote count but is certain to get 32 seats under the PR system. This will take the party’s total tally to 89 seats.

NC has 10 lawmakers in the National Assembly including three women – Kamala Pant, Durga Kumari Gurung and Anita Devota. This puts the number of its total lawmaker at 99.

As per the constitutional provision, around 33% of total lawmakers should be women. Since only one candidate – Sita Gurung – won the election under the FPTP system, the party will have to send 29 women lawmakers under the PR system.

Like other parties, NC has also submitted its closed list of candidates under PR system to the Election Commission. The list of candidates is categorized under different clusters as required by the constitution.

NC leaders Arzoo Rana Deuba, Manju Khanda, Ambika Basnet, Sarita Prasai, Rama Koirala Poudyal, Kantika Sejuwal, Ishwari Neupane, Pratimi Gautam and Maina Rawal Karki are likely to become lawmakers under PR system from Khas-Arya cluster.

From the Dalit cluster, the chances of Rupama BK, Shanti BK, Asha BK, Bishnu Maya Pariyar and Sita Mijar are high.

Of them, Kantika and Maina are from backward regions. Likewise, Arzoo is the spouse of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, while Manju is the better half of home minister Bal Krishna Khand.

Similarly, Sita Kumari Rana, Liladevi Bokhim, Kusum Thapa Magar, Saraswati Bajimaya, Maya Rai, Sapana Rajbhandari, and Sushila Theeng can become lawmakers from indigenous-nationalities cluster.

Likewise, Mukta Kumari Yadav, Chanda Chaudhary, Nagina Yadav, Ninu Kumari Mandal and Sangita Mandal are likely to become lawmakers from the Madheshi cluster, while the chances of Javeda Khatun included in the list from the Muslim cluster are also high.

From the Dalit cluster, the chances of Rupama BK, Shanti BK, Asha BK, Bishnu Maya Pariyar and Sita Mijar are high.

Binakumari Thanet and Kalpana Chaudhary could become lawmakers from Tharu cluster.

Only three seats for male
As NC is unlikely to send more than 33% women lawmakers, only three males from the closed list will become lawmakers from the PR system.

Prakash Sharan Mahat, who is at the top of the Khas-Arya cluster, is almost certain to become a lawmaker. Similarly, the chances of former vice president Bimalendra Nidhi, who sits at the top of the Madhesi cluster, are also high. From indigenous nationalities, one of Gopal Man Shrestha from the Indigenous-Nationalities cluster or Jivan Pariyar of the Dalit cluster will become a lawmaker.