Nepali Congress factions are in a huddle, planning strategies to strengthen their positions for Parliamentary Party (PP) leader’s election scheduled Monday.

Prospects of electing PP leader through consensus appear slim, party observers say.

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and rival faction led by senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel are busy holding factional meetings. Both factions are trying their best woo the lawmakers from rival camps in order to strengthen their positions.

These factions are continuously holding their meetings since Friday. In the challenge for PP leader’s post, Deuba is pitted against Prakash Man Singh who belongs to the rival faction led by senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel.

According to leaders, Poudel is pressing Deuba to give up his plan to contest election and support Singh for PP leader’s post.

Singh has met with all lawmakers and sought their support. His pitch to win lawmakers’ support is “Deuba’s consolidation of power will further decay party’s strength”. Singh is making efforts to convince Deuba’s supporters that leadership must be handed over to second generation leader. If it is not possible to win the election, Singh plans to maintain a narrow margin with Deuba, according to leaders.

Deuba, who is optimistic of winning the election, plans to secure the position with a wide-margin over Singh to further consolidate his position in the party.

“Deuba is all set to contest election with a view that there is a need of strong leadership at the time when party is facing difficulties,” said leader Min Bahadur Bishwakarma.  Leaders from Deuba faction say it is a time to unite party under Deuba’s leadership.

Party’s election committee has already started preparations for holding the elections. The leaders willing to contest elections will have to register their candidacy Sunday morning.

Some leaders led by General Secretary Prakash Man Singh are making efforts to select PP leader on the basis of consensus, but those efforts are not bearing the fruits.

Both Deuba and Singh are saying that there must be consensual candidate. Koirala is still in consultations with both Poudel and Deuba in a bid to forge consensus.

Leaders say PP election taking place on Monday is the latest chapter of factional feud which is gripping the party for the long time. After party faced a humiliating defeat in recently concluded elections, there were calls inside the party to end the factionalism. Of late, the factional feud between Deuba and Poudel has intensified.

Poudel faction blames Debua’s weak leadership for the drubbing at polls. Deuba defends his leadership, arguing all top leaders are collectively responsible for the party’s loss.

A team of youth leaders have urged party’s top leaders to handover the leadership to them. Speaking at an event on Saturday, NC leader Gagan Thapa said Deuba must not contest PP leader.

“We are passing through a difficult stage. One person should not take both positions (party president and PP leader),” said Thapa. Thapa belongs to the third camp led by senior leader Krishna Prasad Situala who hardly has four lawmakers in the current HOR. The Situala camp has not decided whom to vote in the elections.

In the party’s General Convention held in 2016, NC was divided into three factions led by Deuba, Poudel and Sitaula which still exists in the party.