Closed-door session to start today
KATHMANDU, Aug 10: Two student leaders affiliated to Nepali Congress students' wing on Wednesday ended their fast-unto-death after 12 days after the Nepal Student Union's general convention organizing committee agreed to address their demands.

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba fed juice to the two student leaders-- Ganesh Sapkota and Ratnahari Dhungel-- at Om Hospital after the organizing committee settled the dispute regarding the representatives for the general convention of the union through consensus. Sapkota and Dhungel had demanded that representatives from 11 disputed districts be finalized through fair selection process among other issues.

Meanwhile, former NSU President Dhanraj Gurung fed juice to another student leader Bholanath Sharma, was also on hunger strike for a week with similar demands.

NC leader Prakash Sharan Mahat, who is the coordinator of organizing committee, informed that the delegates in the disputed districts will be finalized through consensus among all stakeholders. The organizing committee has also agreed to elect new leadership of the union through voting process.

However, closed-door session of the NSU has not started even three days after the inauguration of the general convention. Student leaders said it is likely to start after Thursday afternoon.

Student leaders close to party President Deuba, senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel, leaders Krishna Sitaula and Khum Bahadur Khadka have formed separate panels to contest for the leadership of NSU. Having many aspirants for the post of president from the same panel, Deuba and Paudel panels have yet to finalize their candidate so far.

“Our panel will finalize the candidates for all post by Thursday morning,” said Nain Singh Mahar, who has announced his candidacy for president form the panel loyal to Deuba. Deuba had a hard time convincing Jitjung Basnet not to contest for the post after influential NC leaders backed him.

Similarly Paudel is also failing to finalize candidate for president among Manoj Mani Acharya, Nilkantha Rijal, Deepak Bhattarai and Chitiz Bhandari, who are claiming the top post. “We are near to finalizin my name for the post of president. There is no big dispute in our panel,” said Acharya.

Kundan Kafe has announced his candidacy from Sitaula panel and Shuvaram Basnet from Khadka panel for the post of president.
Due to the delay, the time for which Bhrikutimandap hall was booked has expired and the NSU is planning to conduct the voting at NC party office in Sanepa.

 
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• fast-unto-death