Early trends show Nabina Lama, student leader loyal to CPN-UML Chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, leading in the chairperson race at the All Nepal National Free Students’ Union. Lama was ahead by 62 votes by the time the Post went to press. 

The panel led by Deepak Gautam, who is close to senior UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, is trailing in almost all office bearer positions. In the past 24 hours, only about 700 votes were counted as the ballot was “too large”. The result late on Saturday night was 373 votes for Lama and 311 for Gautam. Counting is ongoing at the UML headquarters in Dhumbarahi. “By the early trend, we can say the Nabina-led panel will bag most positions. A few other positions of vice-chairperson and secretary will go to Deepak’s panel,” said UML leader Khim Lal Bhattarai. He said counting would be over on Sunday.

In vice-chair positions, Nabina panel’s Rashmi Acharya got 332, Mahesh Bartaula got 343, Sunita Baral 298, Sailesh Lama 296 while Ain Mahar secured 365 votes for the general secretary’s post. Deepak panel’s vice-chairperson candidates Radhika Khatiwada got 297 votes, Jeevan Rai got 284, Saroj Yadav 304 and Neelkantha Achayra 253 while Abdul Husain Khan secured 310 votes for the general secretary position.