Three-way race for NC leadership developing

KATHMANDU, March 2: After strenous efforts to settle for a single candidate for the post of party president from the establishment faction failed, competition among three senior leaders has become almost certain at the Nepali Congress (NC) 13th general convention, which is starting from Thursday.

Until now, Ram Chandra Paudel from the party establishment faction and Sher Bahadur Deuba from the rival faction were seen as the potential candidates for the post. But as the establishment faction could not reach a compromise on forming a single panel, a disgruntled Krishna Sitaula has decided to announce a third panel for the NC presidential race.

Both Paudel and Sitaula have staked their claims for party president from the establishment side though a majority of leaders from that faction had urged Sitaula to back down and pave the way for Paudel. Declining their requests, Sitaula has decided to fight it out, arguing that his candidacy would open the way for youth leadership.

Sitaula has chosen youth leader Gagan Thapa as his candidate for the post of general secretary. However, a candidate from his panel for treasurer is yet to be finalized.

“The Sitaula-led panel will announce its candidacies at 3 pm, Wednesday,” informed NC youth leader Baldev Timilsina, who is close to Sitaula.

Paudel, Deuba and Sitaula to vie for president

Candidacy announcements today

Establishment faction divided over leadership

Though the Paudel and Deuba panels will have separate candidates up to the central committee member level, Sitaula's panel will be contesting only the posts of office bearers. Earlier, there would be only two factions-- establishment and Deuba-- during the NC's local level elections.

With Sitaula's announcement, interlocutors in the establishment faction worry that the vote within the faction would be divided between Sitaula and Paudel, which will eventually benefit the Deuba faction.

“Our last-ditch efforts will be to persuade Sitaula to withdraw his candidacy. I don't believe he will announce his candidacy but would rather support Paudel, the establishment candidate,” Minendra Rijal, who is known to be a key interlocutor, told Republica.

The party establishment is also announcing its panel on Wedhesday, at 4 pm, said Rijal.

In Paudel's panel, Sashank Koirala is the candidate for general secretary. However, the panel is yet to finalize a candidate for the post of treasurer. The panel is mulling a candidate who is either from the Madhesi/Muslim community or a woman, said one leader. Prakash Man Singh is a potential candidate from Paudel's panel for vice-president.

Sher Bahadur Deuba's faction, which had said it will make its candidates public only after Paudel and Sitaula announce theirs, has stepped up discussions to finalize its panel. Arjun Narsingh KC already announced his candidacy for general secretary on Tuesday. The panel is also finding it tough finalizing a candidate for treasurer.

According to leaders in the panel, either Bimalendra Nidhi or Khum Bahadur Khadka will be nominated as candidate for vice-president.

The party general convention will elect only the party president, one general secretary and the treasurer. The vice-president, another general secretary and a joint secretary will be nominated by the newly elected president after the convention.

At the NC's 12th convention also, there was a tripartite race for the post of president. Bhim Bahadur Tamang had fought for the post against Sushil Koirala and Sher Bahadur Deuba, stating that his candidacy was meant to break the long-standing factionalism in the party.