Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula has said that it is not yet the time to discuss candidates for the post of president in the party's upcoming 15th general convention.
Speaking with journalists in Jamal on Monday, Sitaula said that discussions regarding the general convention and potential candidates will take place after the general election.
Journalists asked for his response to reports that President Sher Bahadur Deuba had recently told a group of reporters at his residence that he intends to field acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka as the next presidential candidate. To this, Sitaula replied:
"The president has not said anything to us about who he intends to make the candidate. It isn’t even the time to discuss who the presidential candidate will be, so what exactly would the president have to say to us right now?"
He further emphasized that with the general convention scheduled for May and the general election set for March, the party’s focus must remain entirely on the election.
Sitaula remarked that whether or not he will be a candidate for president will become clear at the time of the general convention itself.
