Shashank Koirala withdraws claim over candidacy for NC Prez from rival faction

KATHMANDU: General Secretary of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC),  Shashank Koirala, said he is not in the race for the presidential position anymore. 

Koirala, who had long been aspiring to field himself as the candidate for the post of party president in the December 10-12 14th General Convention, has said that he would step back to hammer out a common candidate from the faction. 

In a meeting of the leaders close to senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel at the Chaksibari-based residence of Prakash Man Singh, Koirala said that he would no longer be the presidential candidate to give yet another opportunity to senior leader Poudel. 

Talking to the media following the meeting, he also said that even Poudel would renounce the aspiration over the party’s presidential position if other aspiring leaders forge a consensus and field a common candidate. “He [Poudel] hinted at withdrawing his desire to compete for the party president,” he added. 

Shekhar Koirala and Prakash Man Singh are two other leaders from the camp who have announced to vie for the party president. 

Incumbent President and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, on the other hand, announced to engage in the presidential race from the establishment faction. Bimalendra Nidhi, the party’s vice president and a leader close to Deuba himself, has also been gearing up his preparation to challenge Deuba and others. 

Meanwhile, youth leaders of the party asked the leaders from the rival faction --- Poudel, Koirala duo, and Singh for the post of party's president, on Monday. They even extended an ultimatum till December 9 to hammer out the candidate through consensus.