NC shows united face, picks Poudel for PM

KATHMANDU, July 17: Ending weeks-long speculations as to whom Nepali Congress would pick as its prime ministerial candidate, the party on Saturday unanimously chose its vice chairman and parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudel as the candidate.

The speculations came to an end after senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba in a dramatic turn of events proposed Poudel for prime minister from the party during the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Saturday. Deuba´s proposal was seconded by General Secretary KB Gurung and was passed unanimously in the meeting.

Interestingly, both Deuba and Gurung were in the race for the prime ministerial candidate.

Addressing the CWC meeting, senior leader Deuba said it was unfortunate that media tried to bring rift among us over the issue of prime ministerial candidate. "It is not good for us to be divided for and against," a CWC member quoted Deuba as saying. "I propose Poudel as prime ministerial candidate from the party."

During the meeting, Deuba had claimed that he never staked claim for the prime ministerial post though media unnecessarily hyped the issue. Leaders close to Deuba said he had proposed that there should be a unanimous candidate and the decision should be taken by Monday. "Deuba was clear, either it should be him or Poudel," a leader said.

Talking to media persons after the meeting, Deuba said he proposed Poudel for prime minister in the cause of broader unity in the party. "Unity within Nepali Congress is a must to bring sustainable peace and for drafting democratic constitution," said Deuba. "I proposed his (Poudel´s) name keeping in view the need of broader unity within the party."

After Poudel was picked as prime ministerial candidate, Acting President Sushil Koirala and Poudel thanked Deuba and Gurung for the proposal that helped end the brewing intra-party conflict on the issue of prime ministerial candidacy.

NC on Thursday had decided to stake claim for new government even as a group of CWC members raised a dissenting voice against the idea of the party assuming government leadership. The CWC meeting chose to skip picking prime ministerial candidate as three leaders were vying for the coveted post.

Acting President Koirala told media persons that the unanimous decision of the party on prime ministerial candidate demonstrated unprecedented unity within the party. He said since there is no possibility of forming Maoist-led government at present NC will take initiative to form new government after holding negotiations with other parties.

UML, MPRF-D say NC decision positive

Leaders from the CPN-UML who are preparing to field party chairman Jhala Nath Khanal for prime minister termed NC´s decision as a positive indication toward forging consensus.

"We have no problem accepting Poudel´s candidacy if he is able to line up a majority in his favor. But at the same time, if he can´t do so, he should be ready to support another leader," UML Secretary Yuvraj Gyawali, a confidant of Khanal, told myrepublica.com.

Jitendra Dev, general secretary of MPRF-D, also hailed the NC decision. He said the decision by any political party to elect its candidate unanimously in itself should be taken as a positive development. "However, we need to further discuss whether to support Poudel," he said.

Koirala said that NC will give priority to forming a consensus government. "Nepali Congress will lead majority government if that does not happen," he said.

"We have no problem accepting Poudel´s candidacy if he is able to line up a majority in his favor. But at the same time, if he can´t do so, he should be ready to support another leader. -- CPN-UML Secretary Yuvraj Gyawali"

Source: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=21152