Kathmandu, March 3

Nepali Congress’s 13th National General Convention began today with fanfare amid a grand function at the Khula Manch in the presence of thousands of Congress supporters, leaders of political parties, including those from neighbouring countries.

The candidates wishing to fight for the party’s Central Working Committee’s elected posts will have to file their candidacy by noon tomorrow.

The party’s close session to begin at 2:00pm at Bhrikutimandap will discuss party’s policy and programmes for the next term. Election for the CWC posts are slated for March 6.

Three leaders, including two from the establishment side and one from rival faction, have announced their panels. Ramchandra Paudel and Shashanka Koirala have announced candidacy for the party president and general secretary, respectively. Krishna Prasad Sitaula and

Gagan Thapa have also announced candidacy for the two vital posts, with Umakanta Chaudhari vying for treasurer’s post from Sitaula panel. Both the panels from establishment side did not file their nomination today and will do so tomorrow morning.

Senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and Chitra Lekha Yadav filed their nomination for party presidency and treasurer, respectively, at the party headquarters in Sanepa today. Arjun Narsingh KC will file nomination for general secretary’s post from Deuba’s side tomorrow morning.

A candidate for party president should garner more than 50 per cent of the over 3,200 votes to get elected. But for the posts of general secretary and treasurer, first-past-the-post system will be followed, according to NC Election Committee member Gopal Krishna Ghimire.

Seventy-five members, including Kul Bahadur Gurung, Khum Bahadur Khadka and Mahesh Acharya, filed nomination papers today for CWC membership under open competition and province-wise representation, according to party sources.

Earlier, NC leaders Ramchandra Paudel, Sher Bahadur Deuba, general secretaries Prakash Man Singh and Krishna Prasad Sitaula and treasurer Chitra Lekha Yadav addressed the function.

Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Unified CPN Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal were among those present at the inaugural session of the NC’s 13th National General Convention.

Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Bhagat Singh Koshyari, General Secretary of Indian National Congress BK Hariprasad, Information Minister of Bangladesh Hasanul Haqinu and General Secretary of Socialist International Luis Ayala, were some of the foreign leaders present in Khula Manch for NC’s jamboree.

Deuba announces his panel

KATHMANDU: Senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is vying for the post of party president, announced his panel in the presence of hundreds of his supporters at the party headquarters in Sanepa, on Thursday.

CWC member KB Gurung proposed the names of Deuba, Arjun Narsingh KC and Chitra Lekha Yadav for the posts of NC president, general secretary and treasurer, respectively.

CWC member Khum Bahadur Khadka seconded the three names. Arjun Narsingh KC, who was part of the party establishment till recently, said he switched over to the Deuba camp to protest the politics of syndicate and family legacy.

Gurung, Khadka, Taranath Ranabhat, Govinda Raj Joshi, Laxman Ghimire and Binay Dhoj Chand, who were not in the Deuba camp not so long ago, have also thrown their weight behind Deuba.

Sujata backs Paudel

KATHMANDU: Sujata Koirala, who is from the establishment side and had announced to contest for party presidency on Wednesday, decided on Thursday to support Paudel and his panel instead.

Organising a press meet at her residence in Mandikatar in the presence of Paudel and other leaders, including Shashanka Koirala, Ram Sharan Mahat and Shekhar Koirala, she said, “On the request of well wishers of the party from across the country, I have decided to support Paudel and his team to save the party.”

UDMF boycotts function

KATHMANDU: Leaders of the United Democratic Madhesi Front boycotted the inaugural session of the 13th National General Convention of the Nepali Congress, claiming that NC drafted anti-Madhes constitution.

Chairman of Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato said the UDMF could not attend the function because they had been agitating against the constitution promulgated under the leadership of NC.

UDMF, however, had supported NC during PM election. Chairman of MJF-Democratic Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, however, was present at the inaugural function.