KATHMANDU: Acting President of the Nepali Congress faction that has lost official recognition, Purna Bahadur Khadka, has decided not to contest the House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5.
According to a leader close to him, Khadka has said he is ready to move forward in a united manner in the parliamentary elections, regardless of which side the Supreme Court verdict favors.
Khadka, who was reluctant to approach the Supreme Court after the Election Commission recognized the faction led by Gagan Thapa following a special general convention, has been consistently advocating for party unity.
However, under pressure from party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, he joined others in filing a writ petition challenging the Election Commission’s decision. The case is scheduled for hearing on Tuesday.
Tuesday also coincides with the deadline set by the Election Commission for filing direct candidacies, creating a tight timeline for the party. Despite this, Khadka has stated that he will not run for office and will instead focus on campaigning nationwide to ensure the victory of official Nepali Congress candidates.
Sources say Khadka, along with leaders Shyam Ghimire and Ramesh Lekhak, had earlier favored prioritizing party unity over legal action. Nevertheless, following Deuba’s insistence, Khadka, NP Saud, Lekhak, and Ghimire filed the petition on Sunday.
On Sunday night, a long discussion was held among Deuba, Dr. Shekhar Koirala, and Gagan Thapa to finalize ticket distribution for direct elections. With efforts underway to accommodate all factions, Khadka decided to step aside from the race in the interest of party unity.
“Purna Dai has decided not to contest the elections. He is preparing to travel across the country to campaign for the party,” a leader close to him said. “If the Supreme Court verdict favors Gagan Thapa’s side, he plans to unite everyone under one banner. If the decision goes in favor of the establishment, he intends to bring Gagan’s group together to keep the party intact.”
Khadka was elected to the House of Representatives from Surkhet-1 in the 2022 elections, securing 42,607 votes. His closest rival, CPN-UML candidate Dhruva Kumar Shahi, received 30,988 votes. Khadka had lost to Shahi in the 2017 elections.
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