KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 1

The unity General Convention of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has commenced today in Kathmandu.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is present at the inaugural event of the RPP's national congress. Likewise, NCP-Unified Socialist chair Madhav Nepal, Maoist Centre chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Janata Samajwadi Party leader Anil Kumar Jha, CPN-ML chair CP Mainali, among other leaders are present at the convention.

Senior figures of RPP including Lokendra Bahadur Chand, incumbent chairs Pashupati Shumsher Rana, Kamal Thapa and Prakash Chandra Lohani, lawmaker Rajendra Lingden -- who is contesting for the top post against chair Thapa -- will address the event at various intervals.

A new leadership and a central working committee will be elected at the end of the three-day event in the capital.

The national congress of the part is being held after the unification between RPP and RPP (United) that took place in 2020.

Meanwhile, incumbent party chair Kamal Thapa and the only lawmaker of the party Rajendra Lingden are vying for the top post, having announced their candidacies in succession.

Two other chairpersons of the party, Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Prakash Chandra Lohani have kept themselves out of the presidency race. The competition for the post of party chair between the two candidates -- Thapa and Lingden -- is being seen as a tough one with both candidates claiming a victory by whooping majority.

During the convention, Thapa will present the political paper while Rana and Lohani will present social and financial papers, respectively.

Thousands of party cadres have assembled in the valley to take part in the convention.