Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel on Saturday announced that he would stay away from the leadership race.

“In view of the evolving situation in the party, I have decided to stay away from the 14th general convention leadership race,” Poudel said in a statement on Saturday afternoon.

Poudel’s statement comes two days after he told his faction leaders that he would detach himself from the entire process as they had failed to find a consensus candidate for the party president post.

Poudel, who was defeated by Sher Bahadur Deuba in the last general convention, had expressed his interest to run for the party top post during the 14th general convention that kicked off in the Capital on Friday.

He, however, could not convince his own leaders. Shekhar Koirala and Prakash Man Singh from his camp stuck to their guns. Several rounds of meetings to hammer out a deal on the consensus candidate failed.

“A party’s convention is not just a platform to elect some individuals, it also must give a message to the party of a clear policy, programmes and unity,” Poudel, 77, said in a statement.

“I have fallen victim to several conspiracies in the lead up to the 14th general convention. Despite making sincere efforts while upholding democracy’s values, principles and norms, I have come to the situation where I have to give ground in the midst of convention,” he added. “I would like to extend my good wishes to my friends to use their conscience to uphold democratic principles.”

Poudel, however, has said that he would continue to be part of national politics.

From the Poudel camp, Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma are the candidates for the party general secretary posts.

Sharma was seen as a general secretary candidate from the Deuba camp. But after Deuba decided to offer the post to Pradip Poudel from the Krishna Prasad Sitaula camp, Sharma decided to switch sides.

A leader close to Poudel said the senior leader arrived at the decision after there was no chance of reconciliation in the camp.

“Since other aspirants for party president post refused to budge, consensus chances diminished, hence Poudel decided to quit the race,” said Ram Chandra Pokhrel, a Congress leader from Tanahun, Poudel’s district.