Ajambar Rai (second from right) is flanked by supporters after the election.
ITAHARI: In a significant blow to CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli, the rival panel emerged victorious in the 10th district convention of the party’s Morang District Committee.
Ajambar Rai has been elected as the district chairperson. Rai, who secured 446 votes, defeated the establishment faction’s candidate Raj Kumar Ojha by 39 votes. Sagar Thapa has been elected as the Vice Chairperson, Som Raj Thapa as Secretary, Santosh Bantawa as Deputy Secretary and Usha Jha as Deputy Secretary (Women).
A total of 888 representatives out of 911 cast their votes in the fiercely contested election.
The rival panel is led by Binod Dhakal, who faced defeat to Ghanshyam Khatiwada, a close ally of Oli, in the election for the party’s Koshi Provincial Committee held last year. Dhakal is considered close to former President Bidya Devi Bhandari who is mulling over contesting the election for the party chairperson in the upcoming general convention. Bhandari recently attended various programs in Koshi Province. UML sources say Dhakal was instrumental in bringing former President Bhandari to Koshi Province.
Although Oli was scheduled to inaugurate the general convention last Saturday, he decided against attending the event sensing the likely victory of the rival faction. He sent Vice Chairperson Ram Bahadur Thapa to inaugurate the convention.
