The Nepali Congress’ rival faction led by Shekhar Koirala staged a protest at the party’s central office in Sanepa on Wednesday accusing the party leadership of excluding party dissidents from the list of proportional representation (PR) candidates for the lower house.

The dissidents said they want justice in PR nominations and the protest aimed to pressure the leadership to amend the list.

Parties have already submitted their lists of PR candidates for the November 20 elections to the Election Commission on September 19. But they can amend the list by October 2.

Following their protests, party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is also the prime minister, has reportedly invited Koirala and General Secretary Gagan Thapa for talks.

The Koirala faction has been demanding that its nominees should make up at least 40 percent of the party’s candidates for the federal and provincial elections.

“The establishment faction prepared the PR list in an unilateral manner ignoring our nominees. Our protest is aimed at pressuring the leadership to address our concerns,” said a central committee member of party Ajaya Babu Shiwakoti.

Shiwakoti also said the party must ensure the rival faction a fair share in the FPTP nominations.

The Koirala camp has organized a tea reception for Thursday in order to chart out its electoral strategy.

Amid strong objections by the Koirala faction to the selection of PR candidates, Deuba discussed the issue with the party’s office bearers at Baluwatar on Tuesday.

Koirala faction leaders claim that Deuba wants to sideline all those who voted against him in the party’s 14th general convention last year. Koirala was defeated by Deuba in the contest for party leadership. The dissidents plan to continue their protest on Thursday also.