Dewahi Gonahi Municipality Deputy Mayor Patel Assumes Acting Mayor Role Again

Rautahat. Dewahi Gonahi Municipality's Deputy Mayor Parniya Devi Patel has been given the responsibility of acting mayor for the second consecutive term. Deputy Mayor Patel got the opportunity to lead the municipality again after Mayor Prem Lal Sah Kanu was removed from office due to party defection. Patel, who was elected deputy mayor from CPN Maoist Center in the 2074 local level elections, served as acting mayor for a long time when Mayor Dharmendra Patel was suspended. Then Mayor Dharmendra Patel was arrested by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority on February 15, 2078, on charges of taking a bribe for the payment of building construction. Although he was released on bail, the case has not been decided, so Parniya Devi continued to perform the duties of the municipality as acting mayor until the 2079 elections. Elected again as deputy mayor from CPN UML in the 2079 elections, a similar situation has repeated in Patel's second term. Following the defection of Mayor Prem Lal Sah Kanu and Ward No. 4 Chairman Ram Pravesh Prasad Kurmi to the Aam Janata Party, the Election Commission published a notice on July 15, 2083, stating that their posts were automatically terminated. They were removed from office in accordance with the law related to political parties, which stipulates that a post becomes vacant after party defection. After assuming the office of acting mayor on Friday following the mayor's removal, Patel pledged to work in accordance with the spirit of local autonomy, inclusivity, and non-discriminatory service delivery guaranteed by the constitution. She stated that she would work for the development and public service delivery with the cooperation and participation of all, without discriminating against any political party or group. She said, 'Cooperation and coordination among representatives, employees, political parties, civil society, and local residents are necessary for the development of the municipality. Work will be carried forward by prioritizing the interests of the city dwellers.' The program to assume office was attended by Chief Administrative Officer Pawan Kumar Kesari, Ward No. 1 Chairperson Safina Khatun, Ward No. 2 Chairman Atikur Rahman, Ward No. 3 Chairman Sanjay Patel, Ward No. 6 Chairman Bishnu Kumar Das, Ward No. 7 Chairman Upendra Ray Yadav, Ward No. 8 Chairman Vijay Patel, Ward No. 9 Chairman Bir Bahadur Sah, among other representatives, political party representatives, and Police Inspector Tej Prasad Bhattarai of the Inaruwa Police Office, Dewahi Gonahi. Parniya Devi's coincidence of receiving leadership due to the mayor's post being vacant for two consecutive terms has become a topic of discussion in Dewahi Gonahi.