NC vote counts concluding today, first meeting on Saturday

KATHMANDU: DEC. 23 – The counting of votes of the Central Working Committee members under the 14th General Convention of the Nepali Congress is being completed. Elections for the central office bearers were held on Dec. 13 at the General Convention that started in Kathmandu on Dec. 10.

The counting of votes is coming to an end today, the 11th day of the election for the new leadership. The counting of votes for office bearers and central members began immediately following the voting at the party’s central headquarters in Sanepa. The counting of votes has reached the final stage, according to Jagannath Shrestha, secretary of the party’s election committee.

With the counting of votes remaining, the counting of Khas Arya, Adivasi Janajati and Dalit has reached the final stage. There is a provision in the Congress Legislature that out of 13 office bearers, there will be 8 presidents, 2 vice presidents, 2 general secretaries and 8 joint general secretaries. Similarly, out of the 167-member Central Working Committee, 134 members including the president will be elected and the treasurer will be nominated from among the elected central members and 33 central members will also be nominated.

The Election Committee will issue certificates to the office bearers, including the president and members of the Central Working Committee, tomorrow after the votes have been counted. The Central Working Committee will have its first meeting on Saturday, according to the party’s chief secretary, Krishna Prasad Poudel.

On the Dalit side, 8 out of 9 central members are from Deuba faction

The central members’ votes have been counted on the Dalit side under inclusivity. According to the results of the vote count on Wednesday night, five open members from the Dalit side and four from the women’s side were elected.

The Congress Central Election Committee has not yet made the voting public. Man Bahadur Nepali, Prakash Rasaili Snehi, Nrip Bahadur Wad, Harisharan Nepali and Maculal Balmiki have been elected as open central members. Except for Snehi, all are candidates of the establishment group. Similarly, all the newly elected central members are new faces.

Laxmi Pariyar, Sujata Pariyar, Shanti Pariyar BK and Rupa BK have been elected as the four women central members from the Dalit side. Shanti and Rupa are new faces in the Central Committee. The four women elected from the establishment group are candidates.