Kandel, Rijal in race to become UML’s Lumbini Province chair

LUMBINI: Two CPN-UML leaders have registered their candidacies for the post of chairman of the party’s Lumbini Province Committee.

Despite efforts to reach an agreement until Sunday evening to select the party’s new leadership for the province unopposed, Radha Krishna Kandel and Hari Prasad Rijal have submitted their candidacies for the position.

While Kandel is closely associated with party Vice Chairman Bishnu Prasad Poudel, Rijal is a close aide of General Secretary Shankar Prasad Pokharel. Many UML members and cadres view this contest between the two as a power struggle between Vice Chairman Poudel and General Secretary Pokharel.

Kandel’s candidacy was proposed by Raju Prasad Shrestha, with Bhojraj Pokharel as the seconder. Similarly, Rijal’s candidacy was proposed by Bijay Biraj Bista and seconded by Lal Singh Kauchha.

According to Bhara Pokharel, a member of the election committee, Rijal registered his candidacy through a power of attorney.

Despite UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli’s directive to party leaders in Lumbini Province to choose new leadership unopposed, two separate factions will now compete in the election.

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