Nepali Congress fails to elect new chief, run-off poll begins

The first round of voting to elect the new president of Nepali Congress ended inconclusively leading to a run-off poll on Sunday.

No candidate could manage to win the election held for the post of the president of Nepali Congress on the final day of the 13th general convention on Sunday. Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, 69, secured first position with 1,565 votes and the party's vice-president Ramchandra Poudyal secured second position with 1,152 votes.

General secretary Krishna Sitaula received 324 votes. As per the statute of the Nepali Congress it requires more than 50 per cent votes to win the presidential election. There are altogether 3,156 votes cast and 108 were invalid.

The election process was pushed to the run-off as the presidential frontrunner Deuba had fallen 11 votes short of 1,575, required to get the top post. Only two candidates, Deuba and Poudyal were in the run for the presidential post in the second round of polls. Twenty voters who took part in the first round, did not cast their vote in the second round.

Speaking to journalists briefly after casting his vote in the run-off, Deuba claimed the election was only a formality. The election was called in to elect the party's new leader to succeed 79-year-old former prime minister Sushil Koirala, who passed away last month. Three candidates are in the fray for the post of party president.

The general convention of the oldest party Nepali Congress will have significant impact in the political spectrum of the country. Analyst say the power equation may change in the country after the election within the Nepali Congress.