Kathmandu, October 27

A meeting of the Nepali Congress parliamentary board today finalised candidature of a few leaders for the second phase of the elections slated for December 7 in addition to 22 top leaders whose candidature was finalised yesterday.

Among the NC leaders whose candidature was finalised today are Rajendra Bahadur Shah from Salyan, Hridaya Ram Thami from Surkhet, and Ram Bahadur Bista from Arghakhanchi, according to NC leader NP Saud. He said the meeting will continue tomorrow to finalise more candidates.

The meeting has been convening regularly for the past few days to select candidates for the upcoming elections. Since NC has also been holding talks with other parties for possible electoral alliance, it would take some time for them to finalise their candidates, another NC leader Purna Bahadur Khadka said.

“Discussions are under way and are moving ahead smoothly. The parliamentary board will gradually finalise the candidates,” he said.

Nepali Congress is currently in talks with Madhes-based parties, including Rastriya Janata Party, Nepal, and Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal, for electoral alliance. However, the talks have not made significant headway after the Madhes-based parties demanded more seats in Province 2.

“We have agreed in principle to forge an electoral alliance at the least. As far as seat sharing is concerned, talks are under way and we will finalise it very soon,” said Khadka. The NC had yesterday finalised candidature of 22 top leaders, including Prime Minister and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba.

As per the decision of the party’s parliamentary board, PM Deuba will contest the election from Dadeldhura-1; Ram Chandra Paudel form Tanahun 1; Shashanka Koirala from Nawalpur-1; Prakash Man Singh from Kathmandu 1; Gopal Man Shrestha from Shyangja-2; Bimalendra Nidhi from Dhanusha-3; Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar from Sunsari-3; Purna Bahadur Khadka from Surkhet-1; Mahesh Acharya from Morang-4; Gyanendra Bahadur Karki from Sunsari-4; and Ramesh Rijal from Parsa-4.

Other leaders include Narayan Khadka (Udayapur-1), Minendra Rijal (Morang-2), Prakash Sharan Mahat (Kathmandu-5), Farmullah Mansoor (Bara-3), NP Saud (Kanchanpur-2), Arjun Prasad Joshi (Parvat-1), Shekhar Koirala (Morang-6), Navindra Raj Joshi (Kathmandu-8), Gagan Kumar Thapa (Kathmandu-4), Ramesh Lekhak (Kanchanpur-3), and Narayan Bahadur Karki (Udayapur-2).