Yogesh becomes centre of attraction in Mustang political scene after winning election

(Basudev Paudel/Santosh Gautam)
Yogesh Gauchan Thakali has drawn the attraction of people by winning the election to the House of Representatives from Mustang. His popularity has grown so much amid people’s demands for a fresh and young leader for positive changes. Yogesh, 29, is probably the youngest elected HoR member within the Nepali Congress which he has represented.

So much so, he beat CPN UML’s Prem Prasad Tulachan, who is considered to be from the old generation, his win has been taken (by many) as a shift in the ‘traditional’ leadership. The winning vote margin is by whopping 914 votes. The total four candidates ran in the polls in the only constituency in the district.

Yogesh contested from the ruling five-party alliance. Born on 9 May, 1993 at Thasang Rural Municipality in Mustang, he is a NC member, Gandaki Province, and also a member of party Mahasamiti. Started his political career from the Nepal Students Union, Mustang, a student wing of the NC, he is also a member in the party working committee, Gandaki Province.

Getting a degree in the Bachelor of Business Management, he is running two hotels in Lete, Mustang and Pokhara. He is also serving as the managing director of a travels and tours company, and is involved in kiwifruit farming.

Interestingly, Yogesh’s father Romi, former minister, lost to the same Tulachan in the 2074 elections by a margin of 485 votes. It may be noted that Romi, who fielded his candidacy as a rebel candidate in the 2070 elections, defeated Tulachan by a slim margin of 13 votes.

Dejected, Romi this time around decided to give a chance to his son. Actually, the NC gave the ticket to Romi, but he handed it to his son being influenced by the idea of handing over the leadership to new generations. Yogesh and Tulachan are relatives (Tulachan is Yogesh’s older brother-in-law).

“I did win the polls as a result of people’s attraction to new and young candidates, and with the help of the ruling coalition partners, and independent voters,” said elated Yogesh.

It may be noted that he during the election campaigns pledged to take diplomatic initiatives with China to open the Korala transit, to blacktop the Jomsom-Korala road and give a permanent solution to the Beni-Jomsom road problems.