Nepal and Oli believe Khanal’s role will be of a game changer in their quest for the party chairmanship. Of late, Khanal has not taken side of any leader in terms of extending his support for the convention scheduled for July 3. Though, majority of Khanal’s supporters have joined Nepal and Oli factions to secure their position, party leaders said his influence could still affect the outcome. Party leaders said at least 200 Khanal supporters have been elected from grass-roots level as convention representatives and their vote would be crucial in the new party chairman.

In their bid to get support, both the factions are offering lucrative proposals to Khanal. Oli faction has assured Khanal of fielding as presidential candidate from the party while Nepal’s supporters want to offer him the prime ministerial post if the party gets chance to lead the government. Ghanshyam Bhusal, a leader close to Nepal, said his panel would field Khanal as prime ministerial candidate. “We are for presenting him as the next prime minister from our party” he said.

Oli panel, however, wants to field Khanal as presidential candidate allotting the prime ministerial post for Oli. “We are not for political bargaining. He is playing very neutral role in the party so far and we are happy for such role,” said Pradeep Gyawali, a leader close to Oli. “If the party is provided such opportunity, he is our presidential candidate.”

In a seven-point agreement signed by the Nepali Congress and the UML in February, both the parties have agreed to promulgate the new constitution and elect new president within a year of signing the accord.

On the other hand, Khanal, who is stressing for electing party’s new leadership through consensus, has expressed his desire to lead the party for another term if fellow leaders elect him unanimously. Khanal has claimed leadership for upgrading party’s position in the November 19 Constituent Assembly (CA) election. UML, which was placed in third position with 33 seats under the first-past-the-post- election in 2008 CA polls, has emerged as the second largest party with 91 seats in the second CA.

A handful of Khanal supporters such as Bhim Acharya, Gokarna Bista, Purushottam Poudel and Shatrughan Mahato still want to elect Khanal unanimously for the next term.

However, party insiders see no possibility of electing party leadership through consensus as Nepal and Oli are already in the fray. Both the leaders seem not ready to backtrack from their position after they reportedly have almost equal number of representatives elected through recently completed nation-wide representative selection. “Consensus is possible only if Nepal gives up his ambition. I see no such possibility,” UML leader Prithivi Subba Gurung said. Around 1,900 representatives elected from all 75 districts and aboard will elect the new leadership.