Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has started preparations for reelection campaign with just over three weeks remaining for the general convention.
He summoned leaders from his faction at his residence in Budhanilkantha on Monday and urged for their help saying he will once again contest for party president.
NC Vice-president Bimalendra Nidhi, a long-time Deuba lieutenant who has already said he will contest for the post of president, did not attend the meeting of Deuba faction held on Monday.
Another aspirant for the post and chief of the organization department Gopal Man Shrestha attended the meeting and urged Deuba to not seek reelection after Deuba sought help for his reelection. "I have helped you when you were in a difficulty. Made you president (of NC-Democratic) unopposed. Don't contest for president this time. Help me," Shrestha stated.
He urged Deuba to focus on serving as prime minister (PM) instead and pointed at how Narendra Modi is focused on serving as Indian PM and another person heads the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
He claimed that the faction can field a unanimous candidate if Deuba does not contest adding that Nidhi has pledged to support him were Deuba not to seek reelection.
NC Spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma, who has already announced candidacy for general secretary, also did not attend the faction's meeting.
A leader from the faction, however, claimed that Nidhi and Sharma are still with Deuba and pointed that many leaders did not attend Monday's meeting as they had already left for their respective districts following the central committee meeting on Sunday.
Nidhi had expressed wish to contest for the top post pointing that Deuba had promised to help him during the last general election when Deuba had summoned leaders from his faction on Wednesday to seek help for his reelection.
Deuba has intensified internal preparations as the general convention approaches and wants to prepare the list of candidates for the post of vice-president, general secretaries, joint general secretaries and provincial chiefs within a week.
The grand old party will hold provincial convention on December 2 and 3, and general convention from December 10-12. Candidacy for different posts during the general convention will have to be filed on December 7.
A leader of the faction confided that Deuba has delegated responsibilities for different provinces to leaders and instructed them to get as many general convention representatives from the faction elected as possible, and get leaders from the faction elected as provincial chiefs in the respective provinces.
Gyanendra Bahadur Karki has been deployed for Province 1, Ramesh Rijal in Province 2, Prakash Sharan Mahat in Bagmati, Gopal Man Shrestha in Gandaki, Bal Krishna Khand in Lumbini, Purna Bahadur Khadka and Jeeevan Bahadur Shahi in Karnali, and Ramesh Lekhak and NP Saud in Far West.
Aspirants for office-bearers in Deuba faction
Deuba wants to repeat Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, who was appointed vice-president by Deuba after he rejoined NC, as vice-president while General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka is also an aspirant for the post. There are two vice-presidents in the party.
There are many aspirants for the post of two general secretaries including Joint General Secretary Mahat, Spokesperson Sharma, and central members NP Saud, and Ramesh Lekhak among others.
Sunil Bahadur Thapa, who was appointed joint general secretary by Deuba after he joined NC from RPP, also wants to contest for a higher post.
Central members like Surendra Pandey, Min Bahadur Bishwokarma, Man Bahadur Bishwokarma, Bhishma Raj Angdembe, Dila Sangraula, Mahalaxmi Upadhyaya and others are also aspiring for the eights posts of joint general secretary.
Deuba has intensified consultation with leaders aspiring for office-bearers in recent times fearing that they may switch factions if not made candidate for office-bearers. There are also rumors that Nidhi may offer the post of general secretary to a few influential leaders of the faction if he really decides to contest for the top post.
Deuba urged to take Sitaula in confidence
Leaders of the faction have also advised Deuba to seek help of Krishna Prasad Sitaula. Pointing how Situala had helped Deuba in the last general convention, they have told Deuba that the faction will win easily if Sitaula were to again support the faction.
Sitaula, who had contested for the post of president in the last general convention and supported Deuba over Ram Chandra Paudel in the second round after coming third in the first round, is preparing to again contest for the top post. There are reports that Sitaula will field Pradeep Paudel as a candidate for general secretary.
