Kathmandu, May 16:

The election of parliamentary party leaders in the NC (D) has taken a nasty turn with a number of MPs from the party raising objection over the way a section of the party is backing Sher Bahadur Deuba as the undisputed leader of the party in parliament.

Th e differences surfaced during a meeting of the party, which failed to choose the parliamentary leader following differences among leaders, with the disgruntled section insisting on “one man one post” demand. While the disgruntled section of the party accused party president Deuba of imposing “undemocratic” practice, Deuba supporters wanted Deuba to lead the parliamentary party. “The leader should be chosen by adhering to existing rules,” a party senior leader said, urging Deuba to “either become party president or parliamentary leader.”

Disgruntled leaders accused Deuba of trying to use the meeting to put pressure on them to choose him as the parliamentary leader. With backing from Bal Bahadur KC, Chiranjivi Wagle and others, Bijay Kumar Gachchadar is reportedly challenging Deuba. An NC (D) leader said Deuba can send his “close aides” in the cabinet. The meeting of the parliamentary party, which failed to come up with a consensus candidate, has been scheduled for tomorrow at Singha Durbar.

The meeting held today said the declaration would name His Majesty’s Government as Nepal Government and RNA as the Nepal Army, keeping the army under the Parliament.

The party insisted on declaring Nepal a secular state and laid emphasis on restructuring the state. Talking to reporters at NC (D) party office, Deuba raised concern over reports aimed at “assassinating his character”. “This is unfair. I have repeatedly made public my stance on the constituent assembly, replacing the current national anthem with a new one, replacing His Majesty’s Government with Nepal Government and bringing the army under the Parliament.”

Reports had held Deuba responsible for yesterday’s inconclusiveness meeting, saying “Deuba proposed to continue with a person without uniform as the Supreme Commander of the RNA”. Deuba said he had not made such a remark.