KATHMANDU, Feb 24: Winning direct election tickets remains a challenge for Dalit candidates in Nepal’s political landscape. The challenge is even steeper for Dalit women. In the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) snap polls, Bimala BK from Bardiya Constituency-2, representing CPN-UML, stands out as the only Dalit woman contesting under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system.
The Dalit-friendly Election Campaign notes that while several women have secured proportional representation seats, BK is the sole Dalit woman in the direct electoral race. Although a few Dalit women had previously received FPTP tickets from the CPN-Maoist in elections held after the Second People’s Movement, this time, BK, is the only Dalit woman candidate fielded in FPTP by major political parties.
Born in 2044 BS, in rural Bardiya, BK has been active in communist party politics since her student days and gradually climbed to central-level leadership roles. In the previous HoR election, she entered parliament through proportional representation from CPN-UML and later served as State Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supply. She has completed postgraduate-level studies in Law and Rural Development and also studied political science in China on a scholarship.
A single woman candidate fielded under FPTP in Banke
Her personal secretary, Chandra Bhandari, said BK’s long-standing social service and rights-based activism helped establish her as a strong candidate. “She secured the direct ticket because of both her education and political competence,” he said.
According to JB Bishwakarma, coordinator of the Dalit-Friendly Election National Campaign, fielding a Dalit woman in a direct election is itself a notable achievement. He said that persistent caste-based hierarchy and gender discrimination continue to restrict women’s opportunities in competitive politics, and the barriers are even higher for Dalit women.
BK is competing against 17 candidates from both major and smaller political parties. According to Bhandari, her main rivals include former Nepali Congress joint general secretary Kishor Singh Rathore and Dharm Bahadur Chaudhary of the Ujyalo Nepal Party.
In the previous election, this constituency was won by Lalbir Chaudhary of the Nepal Unmukti Party. However, party splits have reshaped the political landscape, making competition tougher this time, Bhandari said. NC candidate Kishor Singh Rathore was previously elected from Banke, while the Ujyalo Party candidate is relatively new to electoral politics.
Local development issues are dominating the campaign agenda. Settlement problems and wildlife attacks are major concerns in the area. BK’s campaign largely focuses on resolving human-wildlife conflict and addressing the hardships faced by Bardiya residents due to wildlife intrusion. She has pledged to prioritize mitigating human-wildlife conflict if elected.
“My first action will be to work toward reducing human-wildlife conflict and solving the problems faced by the people of Bardiya,” she said.
Bhandari said BK’s educational background, professional competence, and youthfulness have strengthened her electoral appeal. At 40, she is competing against two main rivals who are around 60 years old.
Political analyst Sushil BK said society still struggles to accept female leadership. Electing a Dalit woman candidate remains even more challenging. However, he added that BK’s social work and continuous community engagement remain her strongest electoral assets. “Society does not easily accept Dalit women due to gender and caste discrimination. In this context, BK’s candidacy itself is a success,” he said.
