Pokharel Acknowledges Improved Public Perception of Maoist Party

CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel has acknowledged the improved public perception of the Maoist Center, based on the recent by-election results, but also defended his party's performance. He pointed out that while the Maoist Center had secured several local positions—including a rural municipality chair, a vice-chair, and a ward chair—his party had made gains in terms of office-bearer positions as well. However, Pokharel admitted that the UML did not perform as expected in the Kathmandu Valley, especially given the party's pre-election expectations.

Pokharel also addressed the claims circulating on social media that UML came third in the by-elections. He argued that while such an analysis might seem valid at first glance, it did not fully capture the context of past electoral outcomes and the political dynamics of the regions. According to him, UML had won several key positions, including five ward chairs, a rural municipality chair, and two vice-chairs, which he viewed as an improvement compared to previous results.

While acknowledging the Maoist Center's victories, Pokharel noted that these included seats previously relinquished in coordination with the Nepali Congress, especially in the Terai region. He conceded that the results did not meet the party's local committee's expectations, particularly in urban areas like Kathmandu, and attributed part of the outcome to misinformation and voter disillusionment with the performance of elected representatives. He emphasized that the results indicated a desire for change, signaling dissatisfaction with incumbent leaders and a need for improved governance.