It’s a three-cornered fight for leadership of Nepali Congress

NEPAL’S OLDEST PARTY BEGAN ITS 13TH GENERAL CONVENTION ON THURSDAY TO ELECT A NEW PRESIDENT

KATHMANDU: Three senior leaders – Ram Chandra Poudel, Krishna Prasad Sitaula and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba – are in the race for the post of president of the Nepali Congress following the death of Sushil Koirala last month.

Nepal’s oldest political party began its 13th general convention in Kathmandu on Thursday to elect a new president. The opening ceremony was attended by several senior leaders from Indian parties, including Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Former deputy prime minister Sujata Koirala, the daughter of late Girija Prasad Koirala, has opted out of the race and the party will get a chief from outside the Koirala clan for the first time in more than two decades.

Sujata, who had announced her candidacy on Wednesday, decided against contesting less than 24 hours later and instead extended support for Poudel.

Poudel, the acting president of the party, and general secretary Sitaula are from the so-called establishment faction within the party to which Koirala belonged. Deuba, who had left the party earlier, belongs to the rival unit.

Efforts at putting up a unified panel from the establishment faction failed when Sitaula, a former home minister, decided to file his candidature. This could divide votes and help Deuba.

A survey by Nagarik newspaper, published on Thursday, gave Deuba 39% chances of winning, followed by Poudel with 26%.

The Nepali Congress is the largest party in parliament, but it is not part of the ruling coalition headed by the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, which has the second highest number of lawmakers.