KATHMANDU: Leaders close to senior Nepali Congress (NC) leader Ram Chandra Poudel are holding discussions to pick a consensus presidential candidate from among them.
Leaders of the Poudel faction began discussions shortly after the inaugural ceremony of the party’s 14th General Convention concluded. They are gathered near the general convention venue at Anupam Food Land in Battisputali, Kathmandu, Friday evening.
Leader Poudel, others aspirants for NC leadership and central members are participating in the meeting.
According to the schedule of the NC general convention, registration of nominees will be held on Saturday. However, the Poudel faction is yet to decide a common presidential nominee from its group.
Four NC presidential contenders — senior leader Poudel, General Secretary Shashank Koirala, former General Secretary Prakash Man Singh and central member Shekhar Koirala — are holding back-to-back discussions to pick a consensus candidate. The efforts to forward a common candidate has been hampered as former General Secretary Singh and central member Koirala are not ready to accept anyone else’s candidacy except their own.
As the two leaders ( Singh and central member Koirala) went ahead with preparations to compete for NC presidency, the faction is under pressure to pick leader Poudel, who has been backed by General Secretary Koirala, as a common candidate.
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