Kathmandu, February 28
With the Nepali Congress gearing up for its 13th general convention, different leaders are vying for the party leadership.
Though senior Congress leader Kul Bahadur Gurung is not throwing his hat in the ring, Gurung revealed he has got offers to be a candidate for the party presidency. He revealed that Congress leader Shashank Koirala, son of BP Koirala, one of the founders of the party, has asked him to be a candidate from the establishment faction for the party presidency. The revelation comes at a time when the ‘establishment’ is finding it hard to select its leader.
Gurung told Onlinekhabar: Two weeks ago, Shashank came to me, asking me to contest the race for NC presidency.
Gurung is considered a leader of the ‘hardliner faction’ within the Congress. Then Congress president, Sushil Koirala, had made him a candidate for the post of the country’s President. “After Shashank’s proposal, I went on a visit — from Jhapa to Dhangadhi,” he said. “I have called him (Shashank) for a discussion, but he is yet to come,” Gurung said.
The Ramchandra Poudel group has offered to field Shashank as a candidate for the post of genreal secretary. And he is said to have taken the offer seriously. Other candidates for the party presidency, Krishna Sitaua and Sujata Koirala, are also in constant talks with Shashank. Sujata has even claimed Shashank will support her.
On his part, Gurung says they are yet to select the establishment’s canddiate for the top post. “Ramchandraji is claiming that he is the leader of the party’s establishment faction. Krishna Sitaula is also saying the same,” Gurung said. “There’s the Koirala family also. Things will be clear if three members of the Koirala family — Shekhar, Sujata, Shashank — come together.”
The Congress’ hardliner faction, comprising Kul Bahadur Gurung and Govinda Raj Joshi, among others, has been claiming that it has more than 300 votes. But this faction has a very thin chance of fielding a candidate for the president’s post. It is, nonetheless, bargaining for the post of office-bearers.
Leaders of this faction say they will support the group that embraces BP’s thoughts.
