By Our Reporter
If all goes as planned, the main opposition party, the Nepali Congress, will be holding its 14th general convention in the next seven months. However, the growing cases of COVID-19 in Kathmandu and elsewhere have made the February 2021 convention of the grand old party still uncertain. But its leaders have already been in the election fever.
Basically, the 14th general convention of the NC will be a battle between the establishment faction led by Sher Bahadur Deuba and the rival faction led by Ram Chandra Paudel. Deuba himself will contest for the post of party president from the establishment faction. However, it is still uncertain who will be the candidate of the president from the rival factions as at least five leaders from this faction are vying for the top post. They include Paudel himself, Dr. Shekhar Koirala, Dr. Sashank Koirala, Prakash Man Singh and Arjun Nara Singh KC. Paudel had lost the post of party president to Deuba in the 13th convention. Again there is the third group led by Krishna Sitaula, and Sitaula himself or Gagan Thapa will file candidacy for party president from this group. If Sitaual camp files its own candidates, it will be difficult for the rival faction of Paudel to defeat Deuba. However, among the five leaders, Dr. Shekhar Koirala will be the most powerful candidate of the president. The group led by senior leader Kul Bahadur Gurung has, however, backed Dr. Sashank Koirala.
When Deuba has been trying to consolidate his strength by forming and making appointments in the departments and welcoming Sunil Thapa, son of Surya Bahadur Thapa, the rival faction is telling the voters how the NC in Deuba’s leadership turned into a tiny opposition party from a powerful ruling one. He even expelled some of the leaders of the rival group through disciplinary actions. Govinda Raj Joshi and Puskar Ojha were expelled recently.
However, one thing sure is that the Sitaula faction which cannot win the presidential post itself can defeat any candidate. Hence, the faction towards which Sitaula group tilts will triumph the top post. In the 13th general election, Sitaula had supported for the defeat of Paudel and that history is likely to repeat again.
People’s Review Print Edition
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