KATHMANDU: The Election Commission has decided that Ranjita Shrestha will remain the official chair of the Nagarik Unmukti Party, rejecting a rival claim by lawmaker Lalbir Chaudhary.
Although the party’s national gathering had declared Chaudhary as the new chair and submitted the decision for registration, the commission refused to recognize the move. With this ruling, Shrestha retains her position as the party’s legitimate leader.
Commission spokesperson Nita Pokharel Aryal said the decision would be formally communicated today. The commission concluded that the so-called national gathering was not valid under the Political Parties Act and the party’s statute.
Earlier, a Central Committee meeting of the faction led by party patron Resham Chaudhary, with majority support, had decided to remove Shrestha from the chairmanship and strip her of even ordinary membership.
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