Strength of aspirants of NC’s presidential position (with votes they secured in 13th General Convention )

KATHMANDU: Nearly a dozen leaders are preparing to contest for the presidential position in the ruling Nepali Congress (NC). However, the number of actual contenders will reduce during the time of candidacy registration. 

Three leaders --- Sher Bahadur Deuba, Ram Chandra Poudel and Krishna Prasad Sitaula --- were in the race for presidential petition in the 13th General Convention. Sitaula was out of the competition in the first phase of the election. The second phase was held between Deuba and Poudel as no candidate could not exceed 50 percent votes. Deuba, however, defeated Poudel with a huge vote difference. 

As of Saturday, President Deuba, Vice Chairperson Bimalendra Nidhi and former Vice Chair Gopal Man Shrestha presented their claim over the supreme position from the establishment faction. On the other hand, senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel, General Secretary Shashank Koirala, former general secretary duo Prakash Man Singh and Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Shekhar Koirala, Sujata Koirala, Ram Sharan Mahat and Kalyan Gurung are preparing to lodge their claim over the position from the rival faction. 

Scenario of 13th General Convention 

A total of 3,143 votes were cast during the 13th General Convention including invalid votes. The number of votes is expected to increase in the forthcoming 14th General Convention. One should garner more than 50 percent votes to get elected as the party president. 

Individual votes in 13th General Convention

During the first phase of election for the presidential position Deuba received 1,564 votes, Poudel 1,154 and Sitaula 324 out of 3,148 voters. Of them, 101 votes were declared invalid. 

As no candidate could garner a majority of votes, voting for the top two candidates was held in the second phase. According to the party statute of the Congress, one should collect at least 50 percent votes and one more vote to be declared winner, meaning 

During the second phase, Deuba won the election with 1,822  with an additional 258 votes. Poudel could add only 142 votes, taking the total vote count to 1,296. 

Let’s check how many votes the aspirants of presidential position got in the 13th General Convention : 

1. Prakash Man Singh: elected as central committee member (Open) with 1,795 votes 

2. Bimalendra Nidhi : elected as central committee member (Open) garnering 1,677 votes 

3. Shekhar Koirala: elected as central committee member (Open) with 1,848 votes. He topped the list of elected CC members. 

4. Shashank Koirala : elected as the general secretary with 1,417 votes 

5. Sujata Koirala : elected as the central committee member (Open) with 1,619 votes 

6. Ram Sharan Mahat: elected as the central committee member (Open) with 1,611) votes 

7.Gopal Man Shrestha: elected as CC member with 1,499 votes