As Nepali Congress is all set to organise its 14th General Convention on December 10-12 in Kathmandu, all eyes are on the Koirala family that has had a rich political and historical legacy since the party’s establishment in 1950.

In the party riddled with factionalism, there are two major factions—one led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is also party president, and the other by senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel. Three leaders from the Koirala family—Shashank, Shekhar and Sujata—are with the Poudel faction.

In the Deuba camp, Prime Minister Deuba is facing a stiff challenge from his long-time aide and party Vice-president Bimalendra Nidhi in his bid for party presidency.

And in the Poudel camp, the many aspirants for party presidency have made it difficult to pick a consensus candidate for the top job, according to party leaders.

Two senior leaders and former general secretaries, Prakash Man Singh and Krishna Prasad Sitaula, have also thrown their hats in the ring thus making the search for a common candidate for presidency in the Poudel camp more difficult.

Meanwhile, two members of the Koirala clan—Shashank and Shekhar—held a meeting at the latter’s residence at Maharajgunj where party general secretary Shashank reportedly agreed to support Shekhar’s bid for presidency. According to sources, both of them had also agreed to hold a joint press conference at Shashank's residence on Wednesday morning where Shashank was to endorse Shekhar’s presidential bid. But Shashank suddenly refused to hold the press conference on Wednesday morning saying Prime Minister Deuba had called him at Baluwatar for talks, according to a leader, who wished to remain anonymous.

Now both leaders have agreed to hold the press conference on November 24, the leader added.

“We are surprised to see someone is working to destroy the unity in the Koirala family,” the leader said.

But the agreement between Shashank and Shekhar had not been communicated to Sujata.

On Wednesday morning, Shekhar contacted Sujata and urged her to attend the press conference but she declined to participate citing poor health.

“I am myself contesting for party president,” Sujata told the Post, adding, “I am not aware of the agreement between Shekhar and Shashank.”

“Congress elections in various districts will conclude by the end of next week, when things will become more clear. Until today, my plan to contest for president hasn’t changed.”

She said her faction has yet to prepare their team for Congress elections so there is much work to do.

After postponing the press conference, Shashank, instead of meeting Deuba, left for Sankhuwasabha district.

Nepali Congress is all set to complete the district level conventions by November 26, electing over 4,000 general convention representatives who will pick the party’s new leadership in the general convention.

Those 4,000 plus voters elected from 165 election constituencies will elect party office bearers and 135 central working committee members. Thirty-three more persons will be appointed as central working committee members from various clusters.

During a function in Sarlahi district, Shashank on Monday had indicated that he would endorse Shekhar’s bid for presidency. “The rival camp should stand together to defeat Deuba and for this we have to accommodate Sitaula too,” Shashank had said at the function.

He also came down heavily on Poudel and Singh saying Poudel is already tested and defeated in party elections while Singh is Kathmandu-centric. “So we have one common candidate in Shekhar to defeat Deuba,” Shashank had announced in Sarlahi.

Reacting to Shashank’s allegation, Singh on Wednesday said some party leaders have made uncivil comments about him describing himself as a student leader who rose through party rank by virtue of his work in the party’s district to central levels. “I worked as party vice president under Girija Prasad Koirala and as general secretary under Sushil Koirala. I am the one elected with the highest number of votes in the 12th general convention. Those criticising me should better study my track record and contribution to the party.”

Another presidential aspirant Bimalendra Nidhi told the Post that once the results of the district conventions are out, the leaders will know about their strengths and new power equations will emerge.

A political analyst with long affiliation to the Koirala family, Puranjan Acharya said there is no conflict or misunderstanding between Shekhar and Shashank. “It is almost certain that the contest for party presidency will be between Sher Bahadur Deuba and Shekhar Koirala,” he told the Post.

According to party leaders, Deuba is trying his best to convince Nidhi to give up his bid for presidency and endorse his own bid.

On Monday, Deuba held a meeting with 40 central working committee members and discussed his faction’s strategy for the upcoming general conventions. Deuba also deployed seven senior leaders to all seven provinces to shore up support for his candidacy, according to a leader who attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, former general secretary Sitaula said there will be at least five candidates including himself for party presidency by the time of the general convention.

“Everyone is waiting for the convention results of the 165 electoral constituencies that will be out next week and the results of the seven provinces in December first week,” he said.

Most of the Congress leaders believe that the election for party presidency will go into a second round just like during the 13th general convention. “Then there will be a final churning in the party and new equations will emerge,” leader Bhimsen Das Shrestha said. “It will most likely be Deuba versus another candidate, most probably from the Poudel camp, in the second round.”

Meanwhile, Shekhar said the election results of the 13 mountain districts have given him more hope. “Several youth leaders have stood in my favour. So I am confident that I will receive the support of the highest numbers of voters once district level elections results are out and I will be picked as the unopposed candidate,” he said.

The upcoming 14th general convention is seen as the last chance for the party’s first generation leaders like Deuba, Poudel and Shekhar among others to contest for party leadership, according to observers.