NC Central Election Committee announced Koirala victor in the race for party president at 3:20 a.m. Wednesday as he secured 1,652 of the total 3,062 votes cast -- more than the 50 percent mandatory vote. His nearest rival Sher Bahadur Deuba secured 1,317 votes, while another contender for the post, Bhim Bahadur Tamang, got just 78.[break]
While 26 out of the total 3,088 general convention representatives chose to abstain from voting, 15 votes cast for president were declared invalid.
The Election Committee declared Singh and Yadav winners for the posts of general-secretary and treasurer, respectively, Wednesday evening. Unlike the vote counting for the post of president held at the Academy Hall, Kamaladi, vote counting for the two other posts was held at party headquarters, Sanepa.
According to NC Central Election Committee Coordinator Radhe Shyam Adhikari, Singh secured 1,656 votes and his nearest rival Nidhi 1,226 votes. Another contender, Narahari Acharya, garnered 152 votes.
Yadav, likewise, won the post of treasuer with 139 more votes than her only rival, Padam Narayan Chaudhary. She secured 1,559 votes against 1,420 votes for Chaudhari.
According to Adhikari, altogether 3,057 votes were cast for general secretary and treasurer. While 17 votes were declared invalid, another 31 did not vote for either post.
With the election of Koirala as new president for the next four years, the country´s grand old party has officially transferred its leadership to a second generation of leaders. Koirala is known for his simple lifestyle and for not taking up any key government position.
Joining the party´s Central Working Committee in 1978, Koirala has already held the post of general-secretary and acting president. He lived with B P Koirala and Girija Prasad Koirala since childhood as BP Koirala´s father and Sushil´s father also lived together during their exile in India.
Likewise, Singh, son of the late NC founding leader Ganesh Man Singh, was the party´s Kathmandu District Committee president during Janaandolan I in 1990. He joined the Deuba-led NC (Democratic) in 2002 and became party vice-president. Singh joined the establishment faction of the party led by Koirala after the parliamentary party election last year.
An influential woman leader from the Madhesi community, Chitra Lekha Yadav was deputy-speaker of the parliament dissolved by the then king. She took active part in Janaandolan II in April, 2006 and also acted as speaker in the mock parliament convened in the street.
According to NC Central Election Committee, vote counting in the race for party CWC memberships under reservation category will begin 8 a.m., Thursday. Likewise, the Election Committee is to count votes for those contesting CWC membership under the open and zonal categories on Friday after holding a meeting with the candidates on Thursday afternoon. Altogether 330 candidates are in the fray for 64 CWC memberships in various categories.
Talking to media after the election result at 8 p.m., newly-elected General-Secretary Singh said since his post is meant for assisting the party president he would work to accomplish NC President Koirala´s mission of steering the party in line with its policy and programs. Singh also pledged to work for party cadres at local level, keeping unity within the party intact.
Newly-elected NC treasurer Yadav told media that she will work for financial transparency in the party and fulfill other tasks demanded by the post. “I will work not only to maintain transparency over party funds but also towards fulfilling the party´s responsibility towards cadres --something it has failed to do so far,” she said.
Yadav also said she will work to institutionalizing emotional unity within the party and resolve the political deadlock in the country.
Vote Tally
President
Sushil Koirala 1,652
Sher Bahadur Deuba 1,317
Bhim Bahadur Tamang 78
General Secretary
Prakash Man Singh 1,656
Bimalendra Nidhi 1,226
Nara Hari Acharya 152
Treasurer
Chitra Lekha Yadav 1,559
Padhma Narayan Chaudhari 1,420
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