NC Gen Convention: Election process begins today, nomination at 10 AM (with schedule)

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) is scheduled to begin the election process as part of 14th General Convention from Saturday. 

The general convention formally kicked off on Friday amidst a grand event held at Bhrikuti Mandap in the capital. 

According to the NC central election committee, the representatives are from 165 federal election constituencies, sister wings and liaison committees from different countries will participate in the election process for new leadership. 

The party said that nomination for the candidacy will be held from 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday at the City Hall in the Exhibition Road. 

The committee said that complaints on the candidates and probe would be made from 5 PM to 7 PM on Saturday itself while the decision on the complaints would be finalized in another two hours --- 7 PM to 9 PM. 

Similarly, the final name list of the candidates would be released at 12:15 PM on Sunday while the voting for the leadership will begin at  8AM  on Monday, coordinator of committee Gopal Krishna Ghimire said. 

The voting will be convened in Bhrikutimandap and the City Hall. A total of 29 types of ballots would be used. 

As many as 4,743 delegates elected from across the country decide the fate of aspirants for various key positions of the ruling party. 

According to the party statute of NC, a total of 13 office bearers will be elected by the delegates for the general convention. 

A president and two vice presidents will be elected. Similarly, two general secretaries and eight joint general secretaries will be elected from the ongoing convention. The eight positions for joint secretary general include one each from eight different clusters. The clusters allocated for the position include females, indigenous nationalities, Dalit, Madhesi, Khas/Arya, Tharu Muslim, and backward region. 

Similarly, a 134-member central committee including 13 office bearers would also be elected during the ongoing general convention. 

Meanwhile, Sher Bahadur Deuba has announced his candidacy for the position of party president. He even solicited votes for the next tenure while addressing the inaugural session on Friday. 

Bimalendra Nidhi, too, has announced to engage in the presidential bid. 

The rival faction close to Ram Chandra Poudel, however, is finding it difficult to field a common candidate despite several rounds of meetings.