KATHMANDU, Jan 6: Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, who has spent the past two years in jail over the fake Bhutanese refugee case, has been recommended as a candidate for the House of Representatives (HoR) election.
The Arghakhanchi district committee of CPN-UML recommended Rai’s name for the direct election in the House polls scheduled for March 5. The committee also recommended four other names at a meeting on Tuesday: UML district chairman Pitambar Bhusal, Bijula Rai, Bombahadur Bishwokarma and Bhoj Bahadur Shah.
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If there are no legal obstacles, the UML Arghakhanchi is preparing to back Rai as its sole candidate despite him being in jail. If legal hurdles arise, other recommended leaders, including district chapter President Bhusal, are expected to contest the election.
Before joining UML, Rai was a leader during the Maoist armed insurgency. He previously won elections from Arghakhanchi under the Maoist ticket for the 2064 and 2070 Constituent Assemblies and the 2074 House of Representatives.
In the 2079 House election, Rai was elected as a UML candidate, defeating his nearest rival, Nepali Congress (NC)’s Pushpa Bhusal, by securing 42,675 votes against her 40,945 votes.
Rayamajhi, a four-time winner, has spent the last two years at Dillibazar Prison serving pre-trial detention.
