Rupandehi, February 25:

KP Sharma Oli, who lost the post of the president of the CPN-UML, alleged that he was defeated as more than 500 fake delegates cast their votes in favour of Jhala Nath Khanal.

He made the allegation while addressing a press meet organised by the Press Chautari Nepal, Rupandehi chapter, here today. He was concerned that Khanal’s victory might put the constitution-drafting process in peril.

He claimed that Madhav Kumar Nepal didn’t support him as per the expectation. “Though I lost the election, internal democracy in the party has flourished,” Oli said.

He said he had proposed internal democracy at the seventh convention and his wish was fulfilled in the eighth convention. Expressing satisfaction over polls, he said, “I hope Khanal would be a skillful and courageous leader.”

Oli, however, was not present during the concluding ceremony. Oli also expressed doubt over the counting process. He alleged that the counting agents, who represented of Khanal camp, influenced the election committee to engineer his defeat.

Mysterious ballot box

Rupandehi: The Butwal Mandap remained tense for nearly two hours on Wednesday after a mysterious ballot box was found while counting the ballot papers. A large number of police personnel were deployed there and journalists were also barred from entering the venue. Party president JN Khanal said there was an unsealed ballot box with fake ballot papers and it was an unsuccessful bid to discredit the elections. — HNS