As many as 1,500 representatives from across the country will vote on Monday to elect a 141-member Central Working Committee of the CPN-UML-affiliated All Nepal National Free Students’ Union for a two-year term.

Panels led by Nabina Lama, of the UML Chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli camp, and Deepak Gautam, from the senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal faction, are competing for the new leadership of the ANNFSU. Lama, incumbent general secretary of the student union, and Vice-chairman Gautam have announced their separate election panels. Lama has chosen Ain Mahar for the post of general secretary while Abdul Hussain Khan is running for the post from Gautam’s panel.

The convention that kicked off in the Capital on Thursday was set to vote for the new leadership on Sunday. However, a dispute between the two factions over the representatives delayed the 21st general convention of the union. According to ANNFSU Spokesperson RC Lamichhane, the list of representatives has been finalised and separate identity cards issued to make the poll fair.

If elected, Lama will be the second female chair of the union, after Ram Kumari Jhankri. Mahesh Bartaula, Sunita Baral, Rasmi Acharya and Shailesh Lama are contesting for four vice-chair posts from Lama’s panel while Radhika Khatiwada, Nilkantha Acharya, Jeevan Rai and Saroj Yadav are fighting for the posts on Gautam’s side.

Samik Badal, Kamala Bohara, Durgananda Thakur, RC Lamichhane, Amrit Budha, Basanta Dhakal and Makar Khadka are the contenders for the seven secretary posts from the faction close to Oli while Keshav Upadhyay, Sudesh Parajuli, Kamal Shahi, Bhakta Kumari Lama and Aarati Lama have been fielded from the rival faction.

For the post of treasurer, Jhapindra Khatri and Dinesh Acharya are in the race from the establishment and Nepal factions, respectively.