Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Six incumbent ministers faced defeats in the November 20 polls.
Those rejected by voters range from Minister of Home Affairs Balkrishna Khand to Minister of State Umesh Shrestha.
Deepak Bohora of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) defeated Khand by more than 2,000 votes. Though Khand had the support of four other parties of the ruling coalition, it was not sufficient for the NC leader to defeat the Panchayati-era veteran.
Bohora, who was supported by CPN-UML, began his parliamentary journey by winning the 1981 election. He won two elections in the Panchayati era and also held different ministerial portfolios before the political change of 1990.
The RPP leader, who is recovering from COVID, couldn’t talk with voters as he was advised to ‘voice rest’ by his doctors. He didn’t address any election meetings.
Another incumbent minister, Pampha Bhusal of CPN (Maoist Center) was defeated by a newcomer in Lalitpur-3 constituency. Bhusal, who had the support of four parties of the ruling coalition, finished third in vote counting.
Dr Toshima Karki of Nepal Swatantra Party was elected from Lalitpur-3 by getting 31,136 votes. Bhusal could get only 8,769 votes.
Bhusal is a veteran politician. She performed central-level responsibilities when the Maoist staged ‘people’s war’ in the late 1990s. She has held ministerial portfolios repeatedly.
Karki is a general surgeon by profession. She was also elected to the central working committee of Nepal Medical Council.
Biraj Bhakta Shrestha of Rastriya Swatantra Party defeated Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in the Kathmandu-8 constituency. While Biraj received 10,105 votes, Jeevan Ram – the common candidate of the five-party coalition – polled 4,177 votes.
Biraj was elected to the Bagmati Province Assembly as a Bibeksheel Sajha Party candidate in 2017. He would participate in the province assembly meetings proactively raising the issues of conservation and environment.
Minister for Sports Maheshwar Gahatraj also failed in the November 20 election. Surya Dhakal of CPN-UML defeated Gahatraj by more than 5,000 votes in Banke-1 constituency. While Dhakal received 25,026 votes, Gahatraj, who had the support of four other parties of the ruling coalition, got 19,632 votes.
Gahatraj, who is active in Communist politics since the late 1980s, has held different responsibilities in his party CPN (Maoist Center). This, however, is the first victory for Dhakal who also is active in Communist politics since late 1980s. He is the central committee member of CPN-UML and also the party’s Banke district in-charge.
Minister for Water Supply Umakanta Chaudhary lost to UML’s Achyut Prasad Mainali in Bara-1. Chaudhary, who is the joint general secretary of NC, received 30,056 votes. But it was not sufficient to defeat Mainali who got 19,195 votes.
Chaudhary was elected in 2017 by defeating Mainali.
Mainali was the public relations advisor to KP Sharma Oli after he was appointed prime minister following the party’s victory in 2017. Mainali, who is active in Communist politics since 1970, is believed to be a close confidant of UML chairman KP Sharma Oli.
Minister of State Umesh Shrestha contested in Chitwan-2 against UML’s Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel and Rabi Lamichhane of Rastriya Swatantra Party. It was expected to be a race between Shrestha and Pokharel. But Lamichhane came out of nowhere to steal the thunder.
Lamichhane received 49,264 votes compared to Shrestha’s 14,983. A former television personality, Lamichhane formed Rastriya Swatantra Party in July. Lamichhane spent some years and started a TV show following his return to Nepal.
