Deepak Bohora Who Won Election Without Speaking for Four Years Passes Away

Deepak Bohora Who Won Election Without Speaking for Four Years Passes Away

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) MP and former minister Bohara passed away on Tuesday morning while undergoing treatment at Om Hospital.

Bohara was elected as a member of the House of Representatives from Rupandehi Constituency-3 in the 2022 elections but had minimal presence in the parliament due to his deteriorating health.

Defeated former Home Minister of Nepal Balkrishna Khand

In that election, Bohara, a common candidate of the ruling coalition, defeated BalKrishna Khand, a central member of the Nepali Congress and then-home minister, by a significant margin—without uttering a word.

His victory over the ‘influential and powerful’ Khand made headlines at the time, as Bohara was also supported by the CPN-UML and other parties.

However, after winning and entering the parliament, he never had the chance to raise public concerns. Due to health issues, he remained absent from 21 meetings of the recent winter session.

Struggling with health issues since four years

Bohara, who had been struggling with health issues for the past four years, passed away on Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Om Hospital in Kathmandu.

In May 2020, he was infected with COVID-19, which led to severe complications. He underwent treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, as well as hospitals in India and the United States.

Though he showed some improvement, he was advised to take a ‘voice rest.’ Post-COVID complications affected his throat, leaving him unable to speak.

Despite his inability to speak, the RPP gave him a ticket to contest elections from Rupandehi-3.
During the campaign, he actively participated in door-to-door visits and election meetings but never gave a speech. Instead, RPP leaders spoke on his behalf.

Former Home Minister Niranjan Thapa and central committee member Swati Thapa, his granddaughter, played key roles in conveying his agenda to the voters.

Unable to speak in parliament

Bohara was hopeful that his voice would return in a few months, but it never did. Even after winning the election, he was unable to speak in parliament. Eventually, he started communicating his concerns through RPP Chief Whip Gyanendra Shahi.

On behalf of Bohara, Shahi raised issues related to Rupandehi and Lumbini in some parliamentary sessions. Bohara also underwent speech therapy at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, but it did not restore his voice.
RPP spokesperson Mohan Shrestha stated that due to his health, Bohara was unable to speak a single word in parliament after being elected. “He wanted to represent his constituents, but his health didn’t allow him to.

Sometimes, he communicated his concerns through the chief whip, and other times, he submitted his notes directly to the Speaker,” Shrestha told Setopati.

Until about a year and a half ago, Bohara communicated with family members and party colleagues by writing on paper or typing on his mobile phone. “But in recent months, he couldn’t even do that,” Shrestha added.
RPP President Rajendra Lingden expressed that Bohara’s demise was a great loss to the party and Nepal’s nationalist movement.

“He was a senior leader, a former minister, and a respected figure known for his coordination skills.

Until he fell ill, he remained actively engaged. We will always remember him as a man of integrity,” Lingden said.

PM Oli

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli also expressed grief over Bohara’s passing, stating, “His impactful role as a minister in my cabinet will always be remembered.”

RPP Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa, who had worked closely with Bohara for a long time, was deeply saddened by his death.

Bohara had been involved in Nepali politics for over 50 years.

Looking Back to Bohara Life

Born in 1950 in Palpa, he became politically active at 17. His family later moved to Bhairahawa.
During the Panchayat era, he was a leader of the nationalist student movement.

He later became a Panchayat member and served as State Minister for Tourism in 1981 and 1983.

In 2010, Bohara was appointed Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation and later chaired the National Trust for Nature Conservation.

In 2013, he was elected as a member of the second Constituent Assembly from Rupandehi-2. Two years later, he became Minister for Labour and Employment, and in 2017, he was appointed Minister for Supplies.

After RPP split in 2017, Bohara joined Pashupati Shamsher Rana’s faction, RPP (Democratic), where he became senior vice president and parliamentary leader.

The party had 18 MPs at the time, and Bohara was also appointed Minister for Health.

However, he did not stay in RPP (Democratic) for long. On February 24, 2019, he left the party and rejoined Kamal Thapa’s RPP faction.

In recent years, Bohara had been staying at his residence in Baluwatar, Kathmandu. He could only consume liquid food, and his wife, Unnati Bohara ‘Shila,’ along with his caregiver, took care of him.

His daughter, Jenny Chandni Bohara Garrett, passed away on February 13, 2024.
Bohara is survived by his wife and two sons.

According to RPP spokesperson Mohan Shrestha, Bohara’s body will be taken to his hometown Siddharthanagar, Rupandehi, on Tuesday for a condolence program at the party office.

His remains will be flown back to Kathmandu the same day, and on Wednesday from 1 PM to 4 PM, they will be kept at the RPP central office in Chabahil for final tributes. His funeral will be held at Pashupati Aryaghat on Wednesday afternoon.

Share This Post: