The ruling Nepali Congress has decided the constituencies for its top leaders for the second phase of elections to the federal and provincial parliaments.

Following a series of meetings of its Parliamentary Board, the NC has almost finalised the electoral constituencies for top leaders, said a member of the board though an official announcement would be made later.

Almost all senior NC leaders are contesting the federal elections except for Krishna Prasad Sitaula. Though he is under pressure to contest direct elections for the federal legislature, he is already listed as a proportional representation candidate. Sitaula’s constituency is Jhapa. In a recent tour of his home district, he had told his supporters that he was ready to contest the first-past-the-post elections but the party has not made the matter clear, said one NC leader.

As per the understanding reached at the board, Prime Minister and party President Sher Bahadur Deuba will contest from Dadeldhura, his home district.

Senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel will be a candidate in Tanahun-1, General Secretary Shashank Koirala in Nawalpur and Prakash Man Singh in Kathmandu-1. Former general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi will be in the fray in Dhanusha-3 while Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, who recently returned to the party, will contest from Sunsari-3.

Deuba and Poudel have won all the parliamentary elections since 1990 including the two Constituent Assembly elections from their home districts.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education Gopalman Shrestha will contest from Syangja-2 while Finance and Foreign Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki will run from Sunsari-4.

Senior Congress leader Shekhar Koirala is a candidate from Morang-6, Mahesh Acharya from Morang-4 and Minendra Rijal from Morang-2.

NC leader Purna Bahadur Khadka will contest from Surkhet-1, Ramesh Rijal from Parsa-4 and Farmullah Mansur from Bara-3.

Other top leaders in the race are Prakash Sharan Mahat from Kathmandu-5, Narayan Khadka from Udayapur-1, NP Saud from Kanchanpur-2, Ramesh Lekhak from Kanchanpur-3 and Nabindra Raj Joshi from Kathmandu-8.

Preparing for the big fight

Sher Bahadur Deuba: Dadeldhura

Ram Chandra Poudel: Tanahun-1

Prakash Man Singh: Kathmandu-1

Bimalendra Nidhi: Dhanusha-3

Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar: Sunsari-3

Gopalman Shrestha: Syangja-2

Gyanendra Bahadur Karki: Sunsari-4

Shekhar Koirala: Morang-6

Mahesh Acharya: Morang-4

Minendra Rijal: Morang-2

Purna Bahadur Khadka: Surkhet-1

Ramesh Rijal: Parsa-4

Farmullah Mansur: Bara-3

Prakash Sharan Mahat: Kathmandu-5

Narayan Khadka: Udayapur-1

NP Saud: Kanchanpur-2

Ramesh Lekhak: Kanchanpur-3

Nabindra Raj Joshi: Kathmandu-8