NC provincial conventions: Ghimire leading vote count in Province 1, Pun in Lumbini

KATHMANDU:  Guru Ghimire, one of two candidates for the presidential position of the ruling Nepali Congress in Province 1 is leading the vote count with 108 votes of the 200 votes counted as of 5:30 PM, Sunday.  Ghimire’s contender, Uddhav Thapa has so far secured 83 votes. 

The elections for the new executive committee in the province were held on Saturday. 

While Ghimire is close to the rival faction led by senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel, Thapa has the support of President Sher Bahadur Deuba and leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula.

Meanwhile, the Deuba-led faction stood victorious in Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces. Bir Bahadur Balayar and Lalitajung Shahi were elected the presidents of Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces. 

In Gandaki Province, Shukraraj Sharma, a leader considered close to the Poudel-led faction, was elected the party president. 

The vote count is currently underway in Lumbini Province where the Poudel faction’s Amar Singh Pun is leading his contender Deuba side’s Bharat Kumar Shahi. 

Meanwhile, a re-election was held for the post of the Congress party’s Bagmati Province president as none of the candidates managed to secure more than 50 percent votes. Two candidates --- Indra Baniya and Jagdish Narsing KC-- are in the fray for the presidential position.