KATHMANDU: The 10th National Convention of the National Youth Federation Nepal, the youth wing of UML, experienced a notable decline in delegate participation, highlighting internal divisions within the party.
Out of a total of 1,764 representatives, only 1,404 cast their votes, with 360 delegates absent during the crucial leadership election.
The low turnout followed efforts by UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and other senior leaders, including Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal, to secure a unanimous endorsement of Kshitij Thebe for the position of president. However, current General Secretary Suman Puri refused to step aside, insisting on contesting for the top post.
Despite attempts by leaders like Mahesh Basnet, Ramesh Paudel, and Rajiv Pahari to mediate and convince Puri to withdraw, the efforts were unsuccessful, leading to a formal election on Tuesday.
The voting was conducted electronically, and results are expected shortly. Region-wise, votes came in from across the country, with participation from Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, Lumbini, Gandaki, Karnali, Sudurpaschim, special provinces, and organizational delegates.
This convention stands out as the only one among the 12 UML-affiliated organizations to hold an election for leadership since March.
Other organizations, including Press Chautari, opted for consensus-based selections without holding formal voting. The competitive nature of this election underscores the factional challenges within the UML’s youth wing and may signal deeper organizational tensions.
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