KATHMANDU, Oct 8: Voting to elect a new leadership of the Nepali Congress is taking place on Thursday, the fifth day of the party’s 15th General Convention.
According to the Central Election Committee, voting to elect the new Central Working Committee will run from 10 am to 6 pm. A total of 7,255 convention delegates are eligible to vote.
Gagan Kumar Thapa and Shyam Krishna Khadgi are contesting for party president. Kishor Singh Rathore, who had also filed his candidacy for the post, withdrew his nomination. Efforts continued throughout Wednesday to persuade Khadgi to withdraw and allow Thapa to be elected unopposed, but they failed.
Bishwo Prakash Sharma has been elected senior vice president unopposed, while Pushpa Bhusal has been elected unopposed as the woman vice president. Minendra Rijal and Devraj Chalise withdrew their candidacies for vice president.
Voting underway to elect FNJ’s new leadership
Thirteen candidates are competing for four vice president positions, including at least one reserved for a woman. Eleven candidates are contesting for three general secretary positions, including at least one woman.
Under the amended party statute, the Central Working Committee will have 297 members, including 25 office bearers. They comprise one president, one senior vice president, four vice presidents with at least one woman, three general secretaries with at least one woman, 15 joint general secretaries and one treasurer.
Of the 15 joint general secretaries, nine will be elected from inclusive clusters and two through open competition. The party president will nominate four joint general secretaries, including at least one woman. The treasurer will be nominated from among Central Working Committee members.
The committee will also have one spokesperson and one deputy spokesperson. A total of 211 Central Working Committee members will be elected.
Prem Bahadur Khadka, coordinator of the Central Election Committee and a senior advocate, said voting had initially been scheduled to begin at 7 am. However, rain and technical problems delayed the start by three hours to 10 am.
Voting is being conducted at three locations, with separate polling centers assigned according to provinces and categories of representation to make the process easier for delegates.
Delegates from Bagmati Province will vote at City Hall, while those from Koshi, Madhesh, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces will cast their ballots at Khula Manch. Representatives from the party’s sister and well-wisher organizations, as well as its public relations committees, will also vote at Khula Manch.
Nepal Academy has been designated as the polling center for delegates from Gandaki and Lumbini provinces.
The Congress endorsed its amended party statute during the convention’s closed session on Monday.
