Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP) senior leader Rajendra Mahato prepares to contest the by-election in the Bara-2 House of Representatives constituency on April 23.
According to a source, Mahato has already started preparations to participate in the by-election.
Mahato had lost to Mahindra Raya Yadav of Nepal’s Samajwadi Party, who had contested in the CPN (Maoist Center) electoral banner, in the November 20 Sarlahi-2 election.
Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Chairman Upendra Yadav is almost certain to fight in the by-election in Bara-2.
Mahato said he faces pressure from the party and cadre to become a candidate as no one else is capable of defeating Yadav.
“I have not yet made a final decision on the presentation of the candidacy. But there is pressure to become a candidate,” Mahato told Setopati.
On Wednesday, Janamat party chairman CK Raut decided to field Shiva Chandra Kushwaha against Upendra Yadav in the by-election. Kushwaha resigned from the Maoist Center and joined the Janamat Party to contest the by-election.
Kushwaha had lost to JSP’s Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav by a slim margin in Bara-2 in the November 20 election.
Kushwaha had gotten 13,823 votes and lost to Yadav by just 355 votes. Kushwaha had the support of the Nepal Congress (NC), CPN (United Socialist) and LSP while JSP had the support of UML after Upendra Yadav left the then ruling coalition just before submitting the nominations due to differences over the distribution of seats and allied with UML.
A by-election is scheduled to be held in the constituency on April 23, as the seat fell vacant following Yadav’s election as Vice President.
