Challenging Costly Politics: Surprising Candidate from Congress in Jhapa, Deu Prasad Limbu

Kathmandu — In Jhapa Constituency No. 3, this election has seen a surprising figure emerge in the political arena. 

Deu Prasad Limbu (also known as Dev Limbu), who has been nominated by the Nepali Congress as a direct candidate, has stirred the political scene by announcing that he will not spend a single penny on his ticket or election campaign.

Limbu publicly shared his stance on Facebook, making it clear that he would neither visit any leader’s house to ask for a ticket nor conduct door-to-door campaigns in Kathmandu. “The recommendation from the regional committee itself is the people’s mandate,” he wrote. “For this, the Congress central committee must listen to the voice of the people, not the doors of leaders.”

He described spending money to secure a ticket as a moral crime, adding, “I don’t have money, and even if I did, I wouldn’t spend it. The corrupt culture of buying tickets must end.”

Even more remarkable is his campaign style. Limbu says,
“If you vote, I’ll humbly ask for a ten-rupee donation. If you don’t vote, I’ll respectfully greet you and go my way.”

According to Limbu, the main reason corruption is increasing in the country is the high cost of elections. “Spending millions in elections and then recovering that money through corruption after winning creates a vicious cycle that weakens the nation,” he wrote. “I won’t spend money in the election, so I also won’t be bound to commit corruption after winning.”

He emphasizes that he is a grassroots person, among the people and party workers. He asserts that his politics will be straightforward, transparent, and fearless. “I don’t twist my words; what I say is clear,” he says.

In Jhapa-3, where other candidates are competing through money, organization, and influence, Deu Prasad Limbu’s “money-free politics” has sparked a new debate among voters and political circles.

Now the question arises—will Jhapa accept a campaign this time that is money-free, ethical, and based on the people?