Candidates included in the proportional list

By Our Reporter  The revelation of the list of Nepali Congress candidates for the House of Representatives under the Proportional Representation (PR) category has led to a debate as to what the actual qualifications are needed to be a candidate under the PR category. The NC has included Dr Prakash Sharna Mahat, who is not only rejected by the voters in the past but also lost the election to party general secretary in December last year. Similarly, Arzoo Rana, the wife of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Manju Khand, the wife of Home Minister, are also on the closed list of candidates. Arzoo was also rejected by the voters in the 2017 elections. Bimalendra Nidhi the former vice president of NC and Deputy Prime Minister, and Gopal Man Shrestha, also former party vice president and deputy PM, are also on the list. Similarly, Khuma Aryal, the corrupt operator of the medical college is also a candidate under the PR category. If we look at these names, we could identify some qualifications. First, one should be rejected by the people and the party cadres to become a PR candidate. One must be the spouse of the Prime Minister and Home Minister to become a candidate under the PR system which was actually provisioned for those who could not contest the poll. You should serve as Deputy Prime Minister or party vice president and you should fear the voters to be enlisted in the list of PR candidates. Or you have to pay and buy the tickets. Similarly, there are other qualifications like being brothers, father-in-law, sons and daughters of powerful leaders to be accommodated in the PR list. Of course, our party leaders have made a mockery of the constitutional provisions.