Vote counting in the Nepali Congress (NC) ended on Monday, giving the newly elected party President Sher Bahadur Deuba a comfortable control over the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC), the key decision-making body of the party.

Of the 64 directly elected CWC members, 36 leaders are said to be close to Deuba. Remaining 28 leaders elected in the CWC are said to be close to Ram Chandra Poudel, who lost to Deuba in the party presidential election. Of the total 25 CWC members from the open category, 14 are close to Deuba and 11 are close to Poudel.

Remaining 21 CWC members will be nominated by the party president, who will also appoint one vice-president, one general secretary and one treasurer. Deuba has long been saying that his main agenda will be ending factional politics and unite the party. According to NC leaders, Deuba’s commitment will be tested when he appoints 21 remaining CWC members.

“Our clear majority in the CWC will make it easy for us to implement our agenda in the party,” said Prakash Sharan Mahat, who is close to Deuba. Among the elected CWC members, Shekhar Koirala secured the highest number of votes (1,848), followed by Khum Bahadur Khadka (1,846) and Prakash Man Singh (1,795).

The victory of Khadka, a corruption convict, is being seen as his resurgence in party politics.

Former communications minister Minendra Rijal secured 1,420 votes to become the 25th elected CWC member in the open category.

Biswo Prakash Sharma, Ramesh Lekhak and Pradip Poudel are new elected CWC members, while other 22 are old faces who were elected in the last General Convention as well. Pradip Poudel was nominated by then party president Sushil Koirala as a CWC member in 2010, but this time he has made it to the decision-making body through election. In the open category, there is clear domination of Brahmin/Chhetri leaders.

Bimalendra Nidhi is the only Madhesi leader elected from the open category. Prakash Man Singh, Dhanaraj Gurung and Kul Bahadur Gurung represent Janajatis. Similarly, Sujata Koirala is the only female leader to win the CWC election under this category. In the election of 14 CWC members from seven states, both Deuba and Poudel panels have bagged equal seats. Interestingly, none of the leaders from the Madhesi community have won the election from seven provinces. Even from the provinces where Madhesi population is high, Madhesi leaders have failed to win.

“In other provinces also there is a domination of Bahuns and Chhetris, which could make it difficult for party to function in those provinces.

For example, in provinces where population of Gurung and Magar is high, leaders from these communities have failed to make it to the CWC,” said Puranjan Acharya, an analyst who closely watches NC politics.

Some influential leaders who were in the CWC several times in the past have lost this time. Chrianjibi Wagle, Govinda Raj Joshi, Taranath Rana Bhat, Manmohan Bhattarai and Ram Krishna Tamrakar are some of those who failed to make it to the CWC.

• Of the total 25 CWC members from the open category, 14 are close to Deuba and 11 are close to Poudel
• From provinces, it’s even-steven, with seven leaders close to Deuba and as many close to Poudel making it to the CWC
• Biswo Prakash Sharma, Ramesh Lekhak and Pradip Poudel are new elected CWC members, while other 22 are old faces
• Bimalendra Nidhi is the only Madhesi leader elected from the open category
• Prakash Man Singh, Dhanaraj Gurung and Kul Bahadur Gurung represent Janajatis
• Sujata Koirala is the only female leader to win the CWC election