NC picks Paudel as vice prez, Sitaula as general secy

KATHMANDU, April 22: Nearly five-month long row over the nomination of office bearers in the Nepali Congress (NC) has been settled amicably following an understanding between party President Sushil Koirala and senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba.



Koirala´s nomination of Ram Chandra Paudel for the post of party vice president and Krishna Sitaula for one of the two general secretaries was endorsed through “majority” voting of elected Central Working Committee (CWC) members on Friday. Of the total 63 elected CWC members present at the meeting, only Arjun Narasingh KC chose to stay neutral.[break]

 

Party insiders said Koirala and Deuba reached an understanding on various six agendas during the meeting held earlier on Friday at Koirala´s residence in Maharajgunj. Agendas including nomination of remaining five CWC members of the party, appointments in various 28 departments of the party, and formation of work performance committee, parliamentary board, parliamentary party and issues related to the party´s sister organizations were discussed at the meeting.



Deuba´s close aide Bimalendra Nidhi said the two factions agreed that decisions on important issues would be taken only after consulting each other. “We have decided to form a four-member taskforce comprising two members each from both the sides to work out on the agendas. The taskforce will settle all issues as per the understanding reached between the two leaders,” he said.



Sources said Deuba faction has expressed its readiness to accept majority of leaders from the establishment faction if proportionate representation of both of factions is ensured in the party´s bodies.



As per the understanding, Koirala has agreed to nominate joint general secretary and three of the five remaining CWC members from Deuba faction. Likewise, there has been an informal understanding to appoint at least four members from Deuba faction in the party´s parliamentary board, which gives tickets to party leaders to contest election and names ministers from the party.



Elected party president can nominate a maximum of eight members to give full shape to the 14-member party´s parliamentary board. Party´s office bearers are ex-officio members of the body.



The two sides have agreed to induct two more members -- Bhisma Raj Angdangwe and Kamala Panth -- in the three-member general convention preparation committee formed earlier by CWC to hold convention of Nepal Student Union and not to dissolve the current bodies of Deuba-aligned Tarun Dal and Nepal Women´s Association.



Khum Bahadur Khadka and Gopal Man Shrestha from Deuba faction lauded the understanding reached between the two leaders. They said the understanding will help strengthen the party´s unity and spread positive message to the party cadres across the country.



Koirala´s bid to fill up vacant office bearers´ positions had hit a snag after CWC members close to Deuba strongly opposed the nomination proposal during the CWC meeting held in November. They insisted that Koirala must reach a package deal on all appointments in the party´s bodies before appointing the office bearers.



Gagan Thapa, who is considered close to the establishment faction, had chosen not to support any of the two factions openly. “I am happy that we did not have to go for voting. This has helped strengthen the party´s unity,” he said.

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