UML voting to elect new leadership in Lumbini from 8 pm

LUMBINI: The voting to elect the new leadership of CPN-UML’s Lumbini Province Committee is scheduled to begin at 8 pm on Monday.

This means UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli’s wish for a unanimous leadership selection will not materialize.

According to UML leaders, the Election Committee has already initiated the printing of ballot papers for the election. Two panels, led by the current Chairman of the province committee, Radha Krishna Kandel, and Hari Rijal, are competing in the election.

The first general convention of the province committee has been seen as a power struggle between UML Vice Chairman Bishnu Prasad Poudel and General Secretary Shankar Pokharel. Kandel is close to Poudel, while Rijal has received the blessing of Pokharel. Since both Poudel and Pokharel rose through the party ranks from Lumbini Province, they want their close aide to hold the reins of the party’s province committee.

Pujan BK (Banke), Bhoj Prasad Shrestha (Rupandehi), Bishwa Raj Baral (Rupandehi), and Shanta Kumari Oli (Rolpa) have filed nominations for the post of Vice Chairman. Laxman Acharya (Dang) has been unanimously elected as Secretary.

Similarly, Upendra Lal Kami, Durga Prasad Tharu, Hira AC, and Poorna Bahadur Budha Magar for have filed their candidacies for the post of Deputy Secretary (Male), while Aarti Paudel, Leela Rana Magar, and Basanti Adhikari have submitted their nominations for the Deputy Secretary (Female) position.