Nepal: 98% of attendees attended the CPN-UML general conference; counting will begin late in the morning
Nepal: With an attendance of 98.40 percent, the polling for the current general convention of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) is now complete.
According to the party’s central election committee, voting began on Wednesday at around 9:15 AM (local time) and ran until 6 AM (local time) on Thursday.
According to the commission, 2,227 convention delegates voted, with 36 not showing up. A member of the National Election Commission told ANI, “If there are no complications, the vote count is expected to start late morning at around 10 AM.”
Following the voting process, the electronic voting machines (EVMs) were examined, secured, and sealed before being certified. Once all parties have reached an agreement, the vote counting process will start.
On Wednesday, voting started at 9:12 AM and lasted all night. Two days were added to the convention’s initial three-day schedule since the procedure took longer than anticipated, even with the use of computerized voting machines.
Two candidates’ candidacies were discarded for breaking party rules, while up to eleven candidates were chosen without opposition. They were all nominated. 301 central committee members from various groups, regions, and clusters will be chosen by the UML delegates.
Ishwar Pokhrel is running against current party chair and former Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is running for a third consecutive term. Surendra Pandey is running against Oli’s supporter Shankar Pokharel for a second term as general secretary. Oli and Pokhrel both have a panel of contenders for every position.
UML leaders claim that former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, who has strongholds in the provinces of Koshi, Bagmati, and Sudurpaschim, supports Oli’s opponent, Ishwar. Pandey is a serious candidate for the general secretary position as well.
A few of Oli’s close senior commanders rebelled and subsequently joined the Pokhrel side. For this reason, we anticipate a mixed outcome for both the central committee and office bearer posts.
After leading the UML-Congress administration for more than a year since July of last year, Oli’s popularity suffered. Three months ago, he was removed from state authority by the September Gen Z movement.
According to party sources, he did more harm in the run-up to the current 11th general convention by trying to stifle his UML competitors, such as Bhandari, Ishwar Pokhrel, and their followers, when choosing convention delegates from all across the nation.
Even his own faction’s leaders have now disregarded the list he created. While some have deserted his side and joined Ishwar Pokhrel’s group, others have run as independent candidates.
Many UML leaders believe that Oli is in a safe position, but Shankar Pokhrel and Pandey will face off in a fierce race for the general secretary job.
Shankar’s “average” performance as general secretary is cited as one of the causes. Furthermore, according to an Oli fan, he is unlikely to have the entire backing of the Oli camp. Oli disagreed with the plans of deputy general secretary Pradeep Gyawali and vice-chair Bishnu Paudel to succeed him.
To promote the candidates, thousands of UML officials and cadres gathered in the Bhrikutimandap region on Monday and Tuesday. Pamphlets, posters, visiting cards, banners, and other promotional materials were strewn all over the streets leading to Bhrikutimandap. Additionally, candidates are using social media and mobile text messaging to solicit votes.