Miscellaneous
Koirala, Poudel hard-pressed to make peace
The idea of both standing for party president does not sit well with leaders of establishment factionExactly a month from now, the Nepali Congress, the largest party in Parliament, will hold its general convention to elect the new leadership.
Just as the party is holding its conventions at the district and regional levels, the establishment faction has come under tremendous pressure, with incumbent party President Sushil Koirala and party Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel, the
former wishing to get elected for a second term and the latter itching to take the reins of the party, finding themselves at odds.
The NC will hold its 13th general convention in Kathmandu on March 3-6.
Leaders from the establishment faction are putting pressure on both Koirala and Poudel to find a point of compromise and pick a consensus candidate. Their fear is: rivalry between them could give Deuba an edge over the establishment side.
Though Koirala and Poudel are holding negotiations to find a point of compromise, Poudel is learnt to have made his position clear—that he would not change his mind this time around.
According to leaders, Koirala could offer the position of acting party president to Poudel, or could even pitch him as the prime ministerial candidate to persuade him to withdraw his candidacy. But they are yet to reach an agreement, the leaders said.
“They are hard put to find a point of compromise,” said NC leader Nabindra Raj Joshi.
The Deuba faction, which holds around 40 percent control over the party, is already in election mode, and Poudel too has started mobilising “his supporters”.
But Koirala is yet to announce his candidacy for party presidency. According to his aides, Koirala will announce his candidacy right after the completion of district level conventions that will take place next week.
Some leaders including Dilendra Badu, Ananda Prasad Dhungana, Minendra Rijal and Formullah Mansoor have got Koirala under the gun to announce candidacy, while others including Shekhar Koirala, Ram Sharan Mahat and Krishna Prasad Sitaula are against Koirala throwing his hat in the ring.
Poudel, who wants the party establishment to declare him the official candidate for the post of party president, has in the past withdrawn his candidacy at the last moment—a fact that is cause for concern for his supporters, who suspect Poudel could fail to hold his ground.