"I can make a guess about your curiosity: what happens in the leadership?" Oli told journalists during an interaction, which Oli called UML´s "informal response" to the press. "We are trying for and are in the process of coming up with a consensus."
In the event the convention goes to voting, Oli said, the top leadership should be elected directly by the party delegates, not by the Central Committee. UML sources said the top leaders are trying to strike a consensus deal with Madhav Kumar Nepal becoming the party chairman, Jhala Nath Khanal becoming the vice chairman and Oli the General Secretary. However, it couldn´t be verified independently.
Oli said confidently that the convention will give him some responsibilities. "I will certainly stand for the central committee position," he quipped. On the question about Maoist´s indirect pressure to UML to not elect Oli the top leader, he said pressure from others make no sense. "UML knows UML cadres, UML issues, UML policies, the roles UML should play, nothing else."
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Meanwhile, the second day of the closed-door session of the party´s 8th general convention started at 9 a.m. Erstwhile general secretary Jhala Nath Khanal has tabled before the delegates his political paper for discussion. About 20 groups, each having 80 to 90 members each, will be formed to discuss the paper.
