Kathmandu:Voting in the ongoing 11th National Congress of the CPN UML, which was scheduled to begin at 8:00 am, experienced a delay of one hour. The National Congress, aimed at electing new leadership within the UML, is taking place at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, and was inaugurated by Chairman KP Sharma Oli at Sallaghari, Bhaktapur, last Saturday.
According to National News Agency Nepal, KP Sharma Oli and Ishwor Pokharel are competing for the position of chairman. Oli is seeking re-election for the third consecutive time. A total of 660 leaders have filed candidacies for the 301-member central committee within the party.
The convention has installed 80 machines for voting, with 2,263 representatives attending the event. This leadership-changing convention follows the significant influence of the Sept 8-9 Gen Z movement on national politics. Observers are keenly watching whether Oli, who stepped down as Prime Minister after the Gen Z movement, will be re-elected as chairman for the third time or face defeat by Pokharel.
The Oli-led faction has claimed that the party and country face adverse situations that require capable leadership. Meanwhile, Pokharel and his panel argue against Oli’s continuation, citing an anti-incumbency atmosphere, especially following the Gen Z movement.