NC still unable to select parliamentary leader in Sudurpashchim

DHANGADHI: Nepali Congress, the largest party in the Sudurpashchim Province Assembly, has yet to choose its parliamentary party leader.

While CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center), Nagarik Unmukti Party, and CPN (United Socialist) have all already selected their parliamentary party leaders, the NC remains undecided.

Around six members of the NC in the province assembly have expressed interest in becoming the parliamentary party leader. Bahadur Singh Thapa, Diwan Singh Bista, Kamal Bahadur Shah, Prakash Bahadur Bam, Meghraj Khadka, and Prakash Bahadur Deuba, the nephew of party chairman Sher Bahadur Deuba, are all contenders for the position.

Meghraj Khadka, the general secretary of the NC’s Sudurapshchim Province Committee, stated that the parliamentary party leader will be chosen within a few days. The first meeting of the province assembly is scheduled for January 12, and Khadka stated that the leader will be selected in the province assembly before the meeting.

NC, which placed third in the 2017 election in the province, is now the largest party in the province assembly with 19 seats. The Maoist Center has 11 seats, UML has 10 and Nagarik Unmukti Party has seven seats in the 53-member province assembly. The Unified Socialist Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party each have one member, while one independent candidate has been elected.

The province committee of the party is holding a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the selection of the parliamentary party leader. Meghraj Khadka stated that deputy president Lokraj Abasthi will chair the meeting, as the chairman of the province committee, Bir Bahadur Balayar, is currently out of the province.