KATHMANDU, March 3: Nepali Congress (NC) leader Sujata Koirala announced that she has stepped aside from the party president race.
Organizing a press conference at her residence at Mandikhatar Thursday morning, Koirala also threw her weight behind NC acting president Ram Chandra Paudel, a candidate for the post of president from the establishment side, for the post of party president.
Sujata Koirala announces her candidacy for NC President
Earlier on Tuesday, Sujata Koirala had declared her candidacy for party president at a press meet at her residence in Mandikatar.
“I do not want to disappoint the party cadres who have come here for the general convention”, Sujata said, “The party should not suffer because of my candidacy”.
She also emphasized that the party should move forward in line with the legacies of late Biseshwoar Parasad Koirala and Girija Prasad Koirala.
Sujata, who is the only daughter of the late NC leader Girija Prasad Koirala, had earlier claimed that her candidacy was not a bargaining tool but a move to lead the party.
Along with Paudel, General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula and party senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba are vying for the post of president with their respective panels in the 13th general convention beginning today.
NC acting President Poudel had announced his candidacy at a press meet at the party office in Sanepa on Tuesday. Shashanka Koirala, a party leader and son of NC founding leader BP Koirala, will vie for the post of general secretary from the Poudel panel. The panel has not announced a candidate for the post of treasurer.
Another candidate for president, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, has included youth leader Gagan Thapa as his candidate for general Secretary while Uma Kanta Chaudhary is his candidate for treasurer.
Senior leader Deuba is all set to announce his own panel later today.
