Nepali Congress set to elect new leader

Nepali Congress, the largest Opposition group in the Parliament, is set to elect its new chief with three-time Premier Sher Bahadur Deuba leading the pack of contestants to lead the party following the death of its president and Nepal’s ex-Prime Minister Sushil Koirala.

A triangular contest is expected during the 13th national convention starting Thursday for the top post in the party which lost power last year to a largely-leftist coalition under an arrangement between major parties to elect a new government after the promulgation of the Constitution.

But three-time Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who comes from the same social democratic tradition as Koirala, is seen as the frontrunner to take over the party which has had traditionally close ties with India, media reports said. Two other main candidates in the fray are NC vice-president Ramch-andra Poudyal and general-secretary Krishna Sitaula. However, Sujata Koirala, daughter of late Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, has also announced to contest for the top post though without forming her team.

The four-day meet has been convened just three weeks after the death of Koirala, a moderate figure in the country’s troubled politics, who died of pneumonia on February 9.

Koirala had a balanced view about India and his death presented a succession problem for the Koirala dynasty.

The party will also elect new central executive committee and present its political document during the convention.

Shashanka Koirala, son of the late popular leader B.P. Koirala, Arjun Narsingh K.C. and youth leader Gagan Thapa are vying for the second-important post of general secretary from the teams of Poudyal, Deuba and Sitaula respectively.