President Sher Bahadur Deuba and senior leader Prakash Man Singh will contest the election for Nepali Congress’ Parliamentary Party (PP) leader. The election will be held on Monday. 

Deuba and Singh filed their applications for PP leader on Sunday evening. There will be competition between Deuba and Shrestha, who is a senior leader of Poudel faction.

Deuba filed his nomination by granting power of attorney to his close aide Bal Krishna Khand. As Deuba remained busy in other work, Khand filed his candidacy. Party leader Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar proposed Deuba’s candidacy while Man Bahadur Bishwakarma seconded the proposal.

Singh filed candidacy soon after the Deuba’s candidacy was registered. Lawmaker Sita Devi Yadav proposed Singh’s name, while lawmaker Sanjaya Kumar Gautam seconded the proposal.

Speaking to reporters, Singh said that his candidacy reflects the sentiment and wishes of the party cadres from across the country. “The party failed to make party united and strong. Again, the same leadership is contesting PP election. Party leaders and cadres want leadership change in the party and PP election could be the beginning on this process, but Party President is not ready for leadership change,” Singh told reporters.

An election committee formed to hold the election of PP leader has already completed the process for holding PP leader election. Three- member committee under leader Chin Kaji Shrestha is mandated to hold PP election. The consensus efforts made by Party President Deuba and General Secretary Shashank Koirala failed to produce any concrete result. Asking to come to consensus on PP leader selection, Deuba had proposed post of deputy PP leader for the Poudel-faction.

Deuba sent his close aides Ramesh Lekhak and Gopal Man Shrestha with a proposal that Poudel faction will get a deputy in PP. Poudel faction, however, rejected such proposal saying that Deuba should give up PP leader. Poudel-faction was of the view that PP leader must be offered to them. Poudel clearly conveyed the message that they would not support to Deuba in PP election.

There are 63 party lawmakers in House of Representative (HoR). According to leaders, around 40 percent lawmakers will support Deuba in his bid for PP leader. If elected, Deuba will further consolidate his power in the party, at a time when there are pressures on him to handover the party leadership to new generation.

A team of youth leaders are urging to elect PP leader through a consensus saying that election will further escalate the intra-party rift.

The meeting of HoR takes place on Monday. PP leader of NC serves as main opposition leader in Parliament. The main opposition leader serves as member of Constitutional Council and other bodies.