Keshav Bahadur Thapa Magar becomes common candidate of ruling alliance in Rupandehi-2

KATHMANDU: The ruling five-party alliance has decided to support Janamukti Party candidate Keshav Bahadur Thapa Magar in Rupandehi-2.

A senior leader of the alliance said that the coalition has decided to extend support to Janamukti’s Magar after the candidacy of Raju Gurung of CPN (Unified Socialist), candidate of the alliance, got cancelled.

Senior leaders of the ruling coalition Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Nepal and Rastriya Janamorcha Party Chairman Chitra Bahadur KC said that they would support Magar by issuing a joint statement on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Election Commission had scrapped Gurung’a candidacy for the election to the House of Representatives, arguing that he had been charged with banking fraud.

Later, he moved the Supreme Court against the poll body’s decision.

The SC, however, upheld the decision of the Election Commission to scrap the candidacy of Gurung.

CPN-UML vice chairman Bishnu Poudel is also the candidate of the same constituency.