KATHMANDU: Senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel’s chances of becoming a common candidate, representing the non-establishment faction, for NC presidency have increased in the 14th general convention.
NC General Secretary Dr. Shashank Koirala, an aspirant for NC presidency, is ready to back Poudel and withdraw his claim for candidacy from the faction.
At a meeting held among NC leaders and aspirants for party leadership at Chaksibari Tuesday, General Secretary Koirala proposed senior leader Poudel as consensus candidate, acknowledging that he was the most senior one in the party and his candidacy would be appropriate in the general convention.
Koirala said if senior leader Poudel was chosen as consensus candidate then he would withdraw his candidacy claim.
The meeting today was attended by all four NC leadership aspirants, including Central member Shekhar Koirala and former general secretary Prakash Man Singh. The meeting was also held at leader Singh’s residence at Chaksibari in Thamel.
Though leaders said that the common candidate would be decided Tuesday itself, it is yet to be finalized.
A source said that a common candidate would be finalized after discussion among senior leader Poudel, former general secretary Singh and central member Koirala on Wednesday morning.
Responding to media persons after the meeting, senior leader Poudel said they were inching closer towards finalizing the consensus candidate. He added the leaders would meet again at 9 am Wednesday to further discuss selection of a common candidate.
Meanwhile, NC cadres staged demonstration outside the leaders’ meeting venue today to pressurize the faction to pick a common candidate. Pressure to pick a consensus candidate has also increased after results of provincial convention were not as expected by the faction.
Of the total 6 provinces, the non-establishment faction won the election in only two province: Gandaki and Lumbini. In other four provinces, party President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s faction claimed victories.
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