Harka Raj Rai

Nepali Social activist and politician

Honourable
Mayor

Harka Raj Rai

हर्कराज राई
6th Mayor of Dharan

Incumbent

Assumed office
23 May 2022
Deputy| Aindra Bikram Begha
Preceded by| Tilak Rai
Personal details
Born| 1983 (age 41–42)
Khartamchha, Khotang, Nepal
Political party| Independent
Parent| Til Bikram Rai (father)
Profession| Politician

Harka Raj Sampang Rai (or Harka Sampang; Nepali: हर्कराज साम्पाङ राई) is a Nepalese politician and the current mayor of Dharan.[1][2][3] Rai is also a social activist.[4][5] He has been elected as an independent candidate for the post Mayor, having 'Walking stick/Lauro' as the electoral symbol via the 2022 local election.[6][7] He defeated Nepali Congress candidate Kishore Rai by receiving 20,821 votes.[8][9]

## Early life and education

[edit]

Rai was born in Khartamchha, Khotang which is in present-day Kepilasgadhi rural municipality. His father was a former British Gurkha soldier. He moved to Dharan in 1998 after completing his SLC examinations to pursue higher education.[10] He graduated in Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English and Political Science from. Mahendra Multiple Campus in Dharan and started work as a tutor.[11] After completing his higher education he had gone to Iraq and Afghanistan for employment.[12][13]

## Political career

[edit]

Rai contested the 2019 by-elections for the mayor of Dharan as an independent but only managed to get 422 votes.[12] He again contested for the post of mayor at the 2022 elections still as an independent and was elected after getting a vote share of 39.8%.[1]

## Activism

[edit]

After six years working abroad he returned to Dharan and opened the National Unity Network to protest against corruption. He was also involved in protests against tax raises, illegal sand extraction from rivers and the water scarcity in Dharan.[13] In 2016, Rai became the coordinator of people displaced by the expansion of the Madan Bhandari Inner Terai Highway.[12][11] He built Shram Sanskriti Park to showcase the history of Dharan.

## Electoral history

[edit]

### 2022 Dharan municipal election

[edit]

Mayoral elections result  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Independent | Harka Raj Rai  | 20,821  | 39.8%  | +39.0%
| Congress | Kishore Rai  | 16,051  | 30.7%  | −19.0%
| CPN (UML) | Manju Bhandari Subedi  | 12,825  | 24.5%  | −20%
| RPP | Naresh Kumar Shakya  | 1,488  | 2.8%  | +2.5%
| Others  |  | 1,142  | 2.2%  |
Total votes  | 52,335  | 100.0%  |
Rejected ballots  | 10,562  |  |
Turnout | 62,897  |  |
Registered electors | 100,324  |  |
| Independent gain from Congress | Swing | +29.0%  |

## Controversies

[edit]

In 2023–2025, Mayor Harka Sampang was involved in several controversies:

* He was accused of inciting an assault on a community representative during a dispute in Dharan.[14]
* He filed defamation complaints against two journalists for allegedly portraying him as an extortionist.[15]
* He was investigated for allegedly ordering unauthorized tree cutting in Dharan-20.[16]
* He bypassed the Deputy Mayor while appointing an acting mayor, contrary to legal protocol.[17]
* His confrontational behavior toward journalists was highlighted in an investigative report.[18]
* He later issued a public apology following criticism.[19]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Independent candidate Harka Raj Rai elected mayor of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City". The Kathmandu Post.
2. ^ "धरानका मेयरको घोषणा- मोटरसाइकल नै चढ्छु". Naya Patrika.
3. ^ "Harka Sampang's drive for drinking water in Dharan: By people, for people - OnlineKhabar English News". 2023-05-22. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
4. ^ "हर्क साम्पाङमाथि पहिले लाठीचार्ज, अहिले फूल र अबिरको वर्षा". Kantipur (daily) (in Nepali).
5. ^ "पानी अभियन्ता हर्कराज साम्पाङ राई बने धरानको मेयर, पाए २०८२१ मत". ekagaj.
6. ^ "Independent candidate Harka Sampang becomes Dharan Mayor". Khabarhub.
7. ^ "हर्कराज साम्पाङ : धरानको खानेपानीले जन्माएको ज्याद्रो 'स्वतन्त्र'". nepalkhabar (in Nepali). 3 June 2019.
8. ^ "को हुन् धरानमा एमालेको गढ भत्काउने स्वतन्त्रका साम्पाङ". Annapurna Post.
9. ^ "धरानको मेयरमा स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवार हर्क साम्पाङ निर्वाचित". Online Khabar.
10. ^ "हर्क साम्पाङ् जसले धरानको तिर्खा मेट्ने लक्ष्य राखेका छन्". BBC News नेपाली (in Nepali).
11. ^ a b Setopati, राजु अधिकारी. "हर्क साम्पाङ- अ रेभुलुसन". Setopati. Retrieved 2022-05-29.
12. ^ a b c धरान, रोहित राई. "को हुन् धरानका 'वेटिङ मेयर' हर्कराज राई साम्पाङ?". nagariknews.nagariknetwork.com.
13. ^ a b "धरानवासीले किन पत्याए हर्क साम्पाङलाई?". Himal Khabar. Retrieved 2022-05-29.
14. ^ "मेयर हर्क साम्पाङको उक्साहटमा हातपात भएको भन्दै उजुरी दिने तयारी". Setopati. 21 April 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
15. ^ "Mayor Sampang's calls for justice over defamation fall on deaf ears at federal ministries". Republica. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
16. ^ "Mayor Harka Sampang accused of illegal tree cutting". Makalu Khabar. 19 April 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
17. ^ "धराने जनताले चुनेकै पिरो मेयर हो, मुख पोलिरहेको छ: हर्क साम्पाङ". Setopati. 7 December 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
18. ^ "हर्क साम्पाङ : अराजकताका उपासक, विवादका पर्याय". Onlinekhabar. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
19. ^ "हर्क साम्पाङद्वारा क्षमायाचना". Ratopati. 18 December 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2025.