Nepal Congress set to elect new leadership

Nepali Congress, the largest party in the Parliament, is all set to elect the new leadership on Sunday for the next five years, including its president who will succeed late Prime Minister Sushil Koirala.

The 13th general convention of the party is set to conclude this evening. Some 3,200 representatives caste their votes on the final day of the general convention which started on Thursday.

The convention will elect the party’s new leader to succeed 79-year-old Koirala, who passed away last month. Three candidates were in the fray for the post of party president.

Former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, Nepali Congress acting president Ramchandra Poud-yal and general secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula are vying for the posts.

Mr Sashanka Koirala, son of first elected PM of Nepal, Mr B.P. Koirala, Mr Arjun Narsingh K. and youth leader Gagan Thapa are in the race for the post of general secretary.

In the election, 65 of the total 85 member Central Working Com-mittee members are being elected through direct voting and remaining 20 will be nominated by the new president.

Any candidate wishing to get elected as president should get more than 50 per cent votes. If no one gets the required number of votes, then a second round of voting will be held between the two candidates receiving highest number of votes to decide the winner.

The result is expected to be announced on Monday morning.