Kathmandu, November 2

Top leaders of the Nepali Congress today traded charges against each other for the party’s loss in the prime ministerial election.

Speaking at the Central Working Committee of the party in the capital young generation leaders of the party, suggested to the three top leaders – Sushil Koirala, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Ram Chandra Paudel – to clear the way for the new generation to drive the party, saying the old ones had failed to lead the party.

CWC members, including Ram Sharan Mahat, Purna Bahadur Khadka, Prakash Sharan Mahat, Surendra Pande, Chandra Bhandari, Dhana Raj Gurung and Gagan Thapa accused the top leaders of fielding the party’s prime ministerial candidate at the behest of foreign forces.

Koirala said he filed his candidacy for the post after Deuba rejected Paudel’s name. Deuba, however, refuted Koirala’s statement, saying he had never made any such request.

Paudel then told the meeting that the party had to face a defeat in the PM election as other leaders obstructed him from filing his candidacy for the post.

Gangan Thapa, among other leaders,however, asked the top leadership not to engage in blame game and hand over the reigns of the party to young generation.

Joint General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka, who had tendered resignation from the post, expressing discontent with Koirala’s decision to contest for the PM’s post said, “I quit from the post on moral grounds after the party president broke the gentlemen’s agreement with UML,” Khadka told the meeting.

Sujata Koirala also criticized Koirala. She said, “You have failed so you need to retire now and clear the way for new generation.”

Some leaders including Arjun Narsingh KC, Padam Narayan Chaudhari and Krishna Chandra Nepali said that the party lost the PM’s election due to its failure to make proper homework and take decision in time. The meeting will resume at 11 am tomorrow.