Deuba called a meeting to select the candidates for the post

KATHMANDU: DEC. 8 – Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has called a meeting of his party leaders. Deuba has called a meeting at Budhanilkantha this morning to select candidates for the post.

The meeting will discuss the formation of a panel of the establishment party in the 14th General Convention, said NC Joint General Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat. Deuba would listen to the aspirants at the meeting and strive to construct a winning team.

There are many aspirants for the post of vice-president, general secretary and joint general secretary in Deuba’s faction. Deuba is certain to be the candidate for the post of president while incumbent vice-president Bijay Kumar Gachhadar and general secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka are the main contenders for the second post (two vice-presidents).

Incumbent Joint General Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, Communications Minister Gyanendra Karki, leaders NP Saud, Ramesh Lekhak and spokesperson Bishwaprakash Sharma have claimed for the post. Mohan Basnet, Surendra Pandey, Govinda Bhattarai and others have also claimed the post of a joint general minister from the Deuba team.

Man Bahadur Bishwakarma, Min Bahadur Bishwakarma, Laxmi Pariyar and Sujata Pariyar from the Deuba faction are demanding for the post of joint general minister. The main claimants are Man Bahadur and Min Bahadur. Similarly, Central members from the Deuba faction, Farmulha Mansur and Atahar Kamal Musalman, are in the fray for the post of joint general minister of the Muslim quota.

There are many claimants from the Deuba group for the post of the joint general minister on the women’s side. The names of Chitralekha Yadav, Pushpa Bhusal, Dina Upadhaya, Dr. Dilla Sangraula, Ishwori Neupane and Ambika Basnet are being discussed as joint general ministers.

Similarly, Bhishmaraj Angdembe, Chin Kaji Shrestha and Bahadur Lama from the Deuba faction are the main contenders for the post of Joint General Minister from the quota of Indigenous Nationalities. Deuba is also keen to elect a joint general minister from the Madhesi side. From the Deuba group, Mahendra Yadav, Ajay Chaurasia, Mahesh Chaurasia, Jangilal Rai and Ram Saroj Yadav are seen as the main contenders for the post.

Similarly, the names of Ram Janam Chaudhary and Yogendra Chaudhary from the Deuba faction are being discussed for the post of Tharu joint general minister, while central member Jeevan Bahadur Shahi and former MP Rajiv Bikram Shahi from the Deuba faction have claimed for a joint general minister to be elected from the backward constituency. It is said that one of the Jeevan of Humla and Rajiv of Jajarkot will be the candidate for a joint general minister from the Deuba faction.

Meanwhile, Establishment Others is also preparing to finalize the selection of a common candidate for the presidency by today. Senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel said that the meeting held at the residence of Chaksibari-based leader Prakash Man Singh on Tuesday failed to select a common candidate but reached a consensus. According to him, he has claimed to have selected a common candidate for the post of president till today.

There is an arrangement for the election of one president, two vice-presidents, two general secretaries and eight joint general secretaries for the NC Central Working Committee. The treasurer will be selected from among the elected central members.

Similarly, 35 open central members, nine women, 21 from each of the three states, Dalit nine, Indigenous Nationalities 15, Khas/Aryan 13, Madhesi nine, Tharu four, Muslim three, one from the backward areas, one from the minority, one from the disabled.

Provision has been made in the Congress Legislature for the election of 134 office bearers and members. Similarly, provision has been made in the Legislature for the chairperson to nominate 33 persons except the elected.