MORANG: The establishment faction of the CPN-UML, backed by Chair KP Sharma Oli, is trailing in the ongoing vote count for the party’s 10th district convention in Morang. The counting, which began on Thursday, has so far put the rebel faction in the lead.
Out of 439 votes counted, the panel led by former central committee member Binod Dhakal, who previously lost the Koshi Province chair race, is ahead in five key positions, including the district chair.
For the district chair position, Ajambar Rai from Dhakal’s panel has secured 225 votes, while Rajkumar Ojha, backed by Oli and General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, follows with 202 votes.
In the vice-chair race, Dhakal’s panel candidate Sagar Thapa leads with 228 votes, ahead of establishment-backed Shantikumari Limbu, who has secured 182 votes.
For the secretary position, Dhakal panel’s Somraj Thapa is leading with 230 votes, while establishment candidate Rabin Thapa has 180 votes.
Likewise, in the deputy secretary race, Santosh Bantawa from the Dhakal faction leads with 239 votes, whereas establishment candidate Irjalal Rajbanshi has received 163 votes.
The only position where the establishment faction is ahead is the women’s deputy secretary race, where Shilpa Nirala Karki has secured 207 votes, narrowly leading over Usha Jha, who has 204 votes.
Vote counting is ongoing at the UML district office in Panchali, Biratnagar. According to the election committee, 888 votes were cast in the district convention. With more than half of the votes counted, the rebel faction maintains its lead.
The UML district convention has become a matter of prestige for party leaders. Dhakal, once backed by Oli, was sidelined after losing the Koshi Province chair election to Ghanshyam Khatiwada. Following this, Dhakal formed his own panel with previously disciplined leader Sagar Thapa. Reports suggest that former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has also been supporting Dhakal in this election.
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