I will not back away from presidential candidate now: Singh

KATHMANDU: DEC. 7 – Leader Prakash Man Singh, who is also the former general secretary of the Nepali Congress, has said that if the candidate for the post of president is not finalized by consensus, he should go for competition.

Talking to reporters at his liaison office in Anamnagar on Tuesday, Singh said that if the candidates are not decided by consensus, he should contest in accordance with the democratic system.

Singh, who has often stated that he will not back down under any circumstances, wants to proceed even if the opposing party does not nominate him as a candidate. Meanwhile, he did not even show up to several of the meetings called by senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel.

However, Singh is currently in continuous discussions with Poudel. Young leaders are under pressure to field the same candidate as other parties. Following this, the leadership was compelled to finalize the nominees. Meanwhile, Singh stated that he would want to compete. “If it’s over, it’s better to be the same candidate,” he remarked.

He emphasized that the Nepali Congress should be led by the proper person beginning with the 14th General Convention. He claimed to be qualified for it as well. “I’ve been involved in grassroots politics for over five decades.” ‘I will not back away from the presidential candidate now,’ he declared.

Commenting on the ineffective term of the incumbent president, Sher Bahadur Deuba, Singh asked delegates to vote only after careful consideration. The anti-establishment party is under pressure to run only one candidate. However, this is not a simple task. Along with Poudel-Singh, figures such as General Minister Shanshak Koirala and Shekhar Koirala are vying for the position of president.

However, the non-establishment party has been saying that the presidential candidate will be decided by consensus.