Campaign in full swing ahead of election to choose top leadership of Communist Party of Nepal- UML

Kathmandu [Nepal], December 16 : Election campaign is in full swing ahead of voting to elect the top leadership of CPN-UML led by former Nepali PM KP Sharma Oli in Kathmandu.

The voting which is scheduled for 4 PM (local time) on Tuesday after subsequent delays cited due to technical problems, supporters of the candidates standing for over 300 posts within the party are making last-minute campaigning.

During the campaign, supporters of candidates from both panels are chanting slogans and urging voters to cast their ballots.

"What does the Lipulekh Kalapani say? Bring KP Oli", "What does the Madhesh want, KP Oli" are the slogans that are echoing outside the general convention venue.

The party is conducting the election through electronic voting machines. According to the UML Central Election Commission, additional time was required to upload candidates' names and photographs into the electronic system, prompting the postponement of voting from the earlier scheduled time of 1 pm to 4 pm.

Oli is being challenged by his Senior-Vice Chairman, Ishwar Pokharel, for the top position within the party in the ongoing 11th General Convention of the party in Kathmandu.

The contest for the new leadership has intensified as incumbent chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior vice-chairman Ishwar Pokharel are facing each other with separate panels. Due to delays in finalising the candidate list, technicians responsible for preparing the voting machines received the final list only at around 1 am (local time) on Tuesday.

According to the preliminary list published by the Election Commission, Oli and Pokharel are directly competing for the post of chairman with their respective panels. UML Election Commission Chair Dr Bijay Subba said 80 electronic voting machines will be used for the election.

He added that it is estimated to take a single voter around 25 to 30 minutes to cast their vote due to the large number of candidates. A total of 2,263 representatives are participating in the general convention.

As per the published list, incumbent chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior vice-chairman Ishwar Pokharel have filed their candidacies for the chairmanship. Candidates have also been registered from their respective panels as well as independently for other office-bearer positions and central committee membership.

Under the party's amended statute, there are five vice-chairperson posts, for which 11 candidates have filed nominations. They include Arun Nepal, Guru Prasad Baral, Gokarna Raj Bista, Parshuram Meghi Gurung, Prithvi Subba Gurung, Bhim Prasad Acharya, Raghuji Pant, Ram Bahadur Thapa 'Badal', Dr Binda Pandey, and Bishnu Prasad Paudel.

For the post of General Secretary, Shankar Pokharel and Surendra Prasad Pandey are in the race.

Similarly, six candidates, Anand Prasad Pokharel, Yogesh Bhattarai, Raghuvir Mahaseth, Rajendra Prasad Gautam, Lekhraj Bhatta, and Bishnu Prasad Rimal, have registered nominations for the three Deputy General Secretary posts.

For the nine Secretary positions, 20 candidates are contesting. Additionally, more than 1,000 candidates have filed nominations for central committee membership from various geographical areas and sectors.

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