As the CPN-UML general convention headed for elections on Monday, KP Sharma Oli’s five trusted lieutenants managed to secure major positions unopposed.

Ishwor Pokhrel and Shankar Pokhrel are unopposed for senior vice-chair and general secretary posts, respectively.

Similarly, three deputy general secretary posts have gone to Pradeep Gyawali, Prithvi Subba Gurung and Bishnu Rimal.

Earlier, until Sunday night, Subas Nembang was staking claim to the post of senior vice-chair and Bishnu Poudel for the general secretary post.

Late on Sunday night, Nembang and Poudel agreed on Oli’s proposal that both be selected vice-chairs.

“I have accepted Oli’s proposal,” Nembang told the Post over the phone from Chitwan.

The UML statute, which was revised on Friday night, envisions six vice-chair posts.

Since there are seven aspirants, Nembang and Poudel have to contest the election.

Besides Nembang and Poudel, other aspirants for the vice-chair are Asta Laxmi Shakya, Ram Bahadur Thapa, Yubaraj Gyawali, Surendra Pandey and Ghanashyam Bhusal.

Except for Bhusal, all other six were on the list of Oli’s consensus proposal.

Bhusal’s nomination necessitated the election for the six vice-chair posts, just like an election for the post of party chair has been necessitated because of Bhim Rawal’s nomination against Oli.

Both Rawal and Bhusal represent a group that had once launched a struggle against Oli under the leadership of Madhav Nepal. But when Nepal formed his party CPN (Unified Socialist), Rawal and Bhusal decided to remain in the UML.

Late on Sunday night, Oli also proposed Yogesh Bhattarai, Raghubir Mahaseth, Gokarna Bista, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Chhabilal Bishwokarma, Lekhraj Bhatta and Padma Aryal as seven consensus candidates for the post of secretary.

The party statute envisions seven secretary posts.

Since Bhim Acharya and Tanka Karki have filed nominations, elections will take place for secretary posts as well.