JHAPA: CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli has called on party supporters to not only cast their own ballots but also encourage family members and close associates to vote for the party, saying broad grassroots mobilisation is essential for a decisive national victory.

Addressing a meeting with cooperative workers in Jhapa on Saturday night, Oli said supporters must first be clear about their political choice and then persuade others to back the UML’s Sun election symbol.

“Cast your vote for the Sun symbol and remind your relatives, neighbours and everyone you know to vote for UML,” he said, adding that individual support alone would not be enough to secure what he described as a “grand victory”.

Oli urged professionals, businesspeople and citizens from different sectors to actively contribute to expanding the party’s support base.

Referring to development projects in Jhapa-5 during his tenure as prime minister, Oli said infrastructure work carried out at the time would help strengthen the party’s electoral prospects. He claimed that budget allocations for some local roads were reduced after his government ended, leading to delays, but said such setbacks would not continue in the future.

On cooperatives, Oli said small savings and investments could significantly improve people’s financial conditions if managed transparently. He warned against the misuse of cooperative funds and called for accountability.

“Some people have misappropriated money saved by citizens. Make your cooperatives transparent and use investments to uplift people’s economic situation,” he said.

Describing cooperatives as a key pillar of Nepal’s economy, Oli encouraged party workers to take both national and local development agendas to the public.

He also said that with national and international circumstances “not favourable” and other forces uniting against the UML, the party must demonstrate its ability to overcome political challenges.