KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) President Gagan Kumar Thapa, freshly elected from the party’s special general convention, has made his first official decision regarding the party’s candidates by endorsing Devendra Raj Kandel for Nawalparasi (West Susta) Constituency No. 1.
Thapa, after assuming office at the party’s central office in Sanepa, formally recognized Kandel as the official NC candidate for the upcoming House of Representatives election on March 5. He also sent a letter to the Election Commission requesting that Kandel be recorded as the party’s candidate.
This move is seen as an effort to clarify candidate status following internal disputes within the party and to ensure a smooth progression of the election process.
Earlier on Thursday, Kandel’s candidacy had been temporarily annulled due to a filing issue. NC leader Bhim Bahadur Thapa had initially registered the party’s official ticket, creating a conflict over the proper candidate recognition. Kandel’s submission lacked a registration number, listing only a sequence number, which contributed to the dispute.
By intervening, President Thapa has resolved the issue in Kandel’s favor, sending an official communication to the Election Commission to recognize him as NC’s candidate.
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