KATHMANDU, Dec 29: Nepali Congress (NC) has finalized a power-sharing arrangement for selecting proportional representation (PR) candidates, dividing seats along internal factional lines in a 60–40 ratio.
Party leaders say the establishment wing will claim 60 percent of the PR slots, while the remaining 40 percent will go to the non-establishment camp, largely shared between General Secretary Gagan Thapa and leader Shekhar Koirala. However, competition is not limited to rival blocs alone, as multiple sub-groups within the establishment are also lobbying to push forward their preferred candidates.
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Senior figures including Prakash Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Bimalendra Nidhi and Shashank Koirala are actively pressing for representation of their loyalists on the PR list. Similar rivalries are evident within the non-establishment camp, where factions aligned with Thapa and Koirala are separately vying for space.
According to the party, an initial shortlist will be prepared informally before being placed before the Central Executive Committee for official endorsement. Once approved, the list will be submitted to the Election Commission. Monday marks the final deadline for submitting the closed PR list to the commission.
In a bid to curb repeat nominations, the NC has also introduced tighter eligibility rules. Individuals previously elected through the proportional system will not be considered this time, nor will sitting provincial assembly members or those already included in provincial PR lists.
