KATHMANDU, July 20: Top leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) have said that the party had to stand second in the recently-held local elections due to backstabbing within the party. 

During a meeting of the party's lawmakers, district presidents, central working committee members and regional presidents hailing from Province 2 in Kathmandu on Thursday, the party's top leaders directed the local level leaders to avoid such backstabbing in the upcoming local level election in Province 2 to make NC the largest party in Province 2. 
Addressing the meeting, NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba urged all leaders to give up their personal interests in order to help NC stand first in the upcoming local election in Province 2 on September 18. “It is natural for leaders to have ambitions. But do not think that party will win only if you got the ticket. Opportunities will come for you too,” a leader quoted Deuba as saying. 

Arguing that the party had to lose election in several places during the first and second round of local elections due to backstabbing within the party, Deuba also warned that the party would take action against those involved in such acts. “The party will lose a lot if action is not taken against them. So, the party will take action against those involved in backstabbing own candidates,” Deuba further said.

NC lawmaker Ganesh Mandal said the meeting concluded that the party had to face defeat in the recent local elections due to backstabbing within the party, ticket distribution based on party's factional politics and the party's failure to sell its agenda among the people. “NC is lagging behind the UML by 50 local units. Party leaders put forth their views on how the party couldmake a comeback in the local election in Province 2,” said Mandal. 

Speaking on the occasion, senior NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi said that NC should get victory in at least 100 of the total 127 local units in Province 2 to compensate the loss in other provinces. Arguing that it was possible for NC to get victory in over 100 seats given UML's relatively weak presence, Nidhi pointed out the need for forging alliance with the Maoists and Madhes-based parties in the areas adjoining the East-West Highway to get victory over UML. 

Nidhi argued that the UML has a strong presence in only 19 of the 96 local units in six districts of Province. According to Nidhi, UML has a good hold only in Saptari and Siraha districts. 

The meeting of NC's Province 2 leaders is set to continue even on Friday. The leaders are set to hold district-wise discussion to forge the party's strategy for the upcoming local election, according to Mandal.

 
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