KATHMANDU: Senior leader of the Nepali Congress Ram Chandra Poudel has urged all the party rank and file to support him for the president of the 14th General Convention of the party.

Even though no consensus has been struck so far, Paudel has been lobbying hard to gain support in his favor.

The leaders of the Poudel faction had rendered efforts to elect the presidential candidate throughout the day on Wednesday, but in vain.

Earlier, a meeting had taken place at Battisputali in Kathmandu on Wednesday and another meeting had been held in Poudel’s residence in Boharatar Tuesday.

In the meeting, Poudel had urged the other leaders to elect him as the president unopposed.

Former General Secretary Prakash Man Singh had opposed Paudel’s idea and urged to seek an alternative candidate to him.

The Poudel faction is making preparations to come up with a common presidential candidate prior to the ward convention and if they fail to do so, they would come up with the message that all the leaders of the faction are united.

“We are trying to strike a deal on the posts of office bearers including the president prior to the ward convention but if we fail to do so we will at least come up with a message that we are united,” said Paudel faction leader Bal Bahadur KC, adding, “We have agreed in principle to reach consensus on the name of Presidential candidate.”

Leaders of the Poudel faction are holing a meeting today and to strike a deal on the issues of office bearers and Presidential candidate for the upcoming general convention from their side.