In the electoral contest in Rupandehi Constituency No. 2, dissatisfaction has intensified among local voters after Dr. Nicholas Bhusal extended support to Rastriya Swatantra Party candidate Sulav Kharel. Several voters have begun commenting that Dr. Bhusal misused his influence and words by backing a candidate with a controversial image. Criticism of Dr. Bhusal has increased at the local level, with some arguing that this decision could even place his political future at risk.
In response to Dr. Bhusal’s move, a section of voters has indicated a shift in their support. Expressions have emerged from locals stating that they will now cast their votes for Chunnu and actively work to ensure his victory. Nepali Congress candidate Chunna Poudel is a local businessman, popularly addressed as “Chunnu” by residents. According to voters, preparations are underway to vote for him under the tree election symbol as the preferred alternative.
This time, the electoral environment appears less comfortable compared to the past for CPN-UML candidate and former Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel. He has faced serious allegations, including direct involvement in the Lalita Niwas land case, remaining silent during the decision to shift Lumbini Province’s capital from Butwal to Dang, and allegedly advocating policy-level corruption in the Giribandhu Tea Estate land exchange case. Analysts suggest that these past controversies have reduced his popularity and made the contest more challenging.
Meanwhile, Rastriya Swatantra Party candidate Sulav Kharel himself has remained at the center of a series of controversies. He has been accused of making insensitive remarks regarding the alleged embezzlement of over Rs 780 million involving thousands of victims of Supreme Cooperative, and of “hijacking the ticket” overnight during the ticket distribution process. Additionally, his use of offensive language against the Supreme Court and judges on social media, and an incident where he fainted during arguments in a constitutional bench allegedly due to pressure, have raised questions about his professional maturity. More recently, controversy has also arisen over allegations that he misused the name of the social group MRR Butwal in his manifesto for political gain.
These serious allegations linked to the major candidates, along with the recent political polarization, appear to be making the electoral outcome in Rupandehi–2 highly intriguing and unpredictable.