PM Deuba re-elected NC President

The 14th General Convention of the Nepali Congress re-elected Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba as the president of Nepali Congress party. Deuba, who secured 2,733 votes during the second phase of election under the general convention defeated Shekhar Koirala, who secured 1,855 votes. The total number of votes cast during Tuesday’s election was 4,623 and 35 votes were declared void.

Koirala was defeated in the race as he could not garner support from his own family members Shasanka Koirala and Sujata Koirala. The first phase election was undecided as none of 5 contestants received clear majority of more than 50 per cent votes. Deuba’s victory was certain after two other contestants for the party president, who lost in the first phase of election, Prakash Man Singh and Bimalendra Nidhi decided to support Deuba in the second phase. It is worth recalling here that Sujata contested the election under the panel led by Singh, while Shasanka contested the election as an independent candidate.

Bishwoprakash, Ganan NC’s new Gen. Secretaries

Popular youth leaders of Nepali Congress Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwoprakash Sharma have been elected as the General Secretaries of the ruling Nepali Congress party during the 14th general convention. Gagan secured 3,023 votes while Bishwaprakash got 1,984 votes in the election. Former Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat and Defence Minister Minendra Rijal, among others, who contested for the post of general secretaries, lost the election. Rijal on Thursday tendered resignation from the post of Defence Minister of Nepal on moral ground. In a statement issued on Thursday Rijal said he quit the post on moral ground. Earlier, leaders Purna Bahadur Khadka and Dhanraj Gurung have been elected Vice Presidents of the Nepali Congress party in the election. Khadka secured 2,121 votes while Gurung received 1,908 votes to emerge victorious for the post, according to the NC sources. There is a provision of two general secretaries and  two vice-presidents in the central working committee as per the party statute. NC leaders Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, Chandra Bhandari, Mahesh Acharya and Sujata Koirala Koirala, who contested for VP, also lost the election. Malaxmi Upadhya Dina, the only winner of the office-bearers, got elected to the post of deputy general secretary in the election. Jeevan Pariyar and Bhishmaraj Angdambe were also elected to the post of deputy general secretary. There is the provision of eight general secretaries in the NC.

NC elects 35 central members Shasanka Koirala secured highest, 3,836 votes in the election to become the CWC member under open category followed by N.P. Saud with 2,937 votes and Balkrishna Khand with 2,879 votes. The names of all 35 winners under the open category has been out. Besides the three leaders, the top ten elected members include Udaya Shamsher Rana, Ramhari Khatiwada, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Ramesh Lekhak, Shanker Bhandari, Jipchhiring Lama and Arjun Narsingh K.C. Other 25 winners include Jit Jung Basnet, Gopalman Shrestha, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, Sunil Bahadur Thapa, Nain Singh Mahar,  Dilendra Prasad Badu, Ramsharan Mahat, Balbahardur K.C., GOvinda Bhattarai, Kundan Kafley, Dipak Giri, Surendra Pandey, Padmanarayan Chaudhary, Rajiv Dhungana, Guru Baral, Sanjaya Gautam, GOvinda Pokharel, Madan Bahadur Amatya, Ajayababu Shivakoti, Ganesh Lama, Dinesh Koirala, Umesh Jung Rayamajhi, Mohan Acharya, Gopal Dahit and Krishna K. Ghimire.