Kathmandu, March 18: Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party has elected party chief Girija Prasad Koirala as its leader to head the next government, putting to rest the debates and cries over transfer of leadership to new generation.
However, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who contested against Koirala in the first-ever election to the Parliamentary leadership, made his presence felt as a front runner among the second generation leaders.
Koirala received 69 (61%) of the 113 Congress votes in the 205-member House of Representatives while Deuba polled 43 votes (39%) and one vote was invalidated, according to the party’s Election Committee.
“I thank Deuba for making this election complete by his candidacy,” Koirala told reporters briefly outlining the priorities of his government, which is expected to be sworn in by Monday. “The new government will give priority to controlling corruption, maintaining law and order and good governance with administrative reforms,” he said after the election results were declared.
The Congress Party went to the election today after 69 lawmakers registered a no-trust motion against Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai early this week.
The Prime Minister resigned on Thursday, criticising the second move in a month to sack him at a time the government was picking up. In his televised address to the Lower House of Parliament that day, Bhattarai had strongly recommended transfer of leadership to the younger generation.
Speaking briefly to journalists after the election, Bhattarai said the voting to elect Parliamentary Party leader had given rise to a democratic exercise in the Congress party, which believed in consensus on crucial issues. “As the sole living founder leader of Nepali Congress, I shall continue to play my role as a leader,” he said. “I shall extend my cooperation to the party and the government as long as I remain in the party.”
“Like what I had said in the first public speech at the Open Air Theatre 10 years ago, nobody wins or loses in a democracy,” Koirala said of the victory as his opponent stood alongside amid cheers from Congress workers who had thronged the Parliamentary Party offices since early morning. At that time, Koirala’s statement that “even the Panties had won” had drawn severe spontaneous criticism from public.
Deuba, who announced his candidacy in response to the Prime Minister’s wishes in the departing speech that leadership should go to the new generation of Congress leaders, took the defeat against the party chief easily. “I have always considered him a leader and a teacher,” he said. “I shall extend my full cooperation to the Prime Minister and he should also seek it.”
Deuba remained the sole challenger to Koirala in today’s election as Deputy Prime Minister Ramchandra Poudel, who had taken a nomination form this morning, chose not to dive in later on.
“I am happy with whatever number of votes I have received in the election, particularly because I decided to contest only after eight p.m. yesterday evening,” said Deuba, who left the party’s central working meeting little before it ended yesterday afternoon.
Deuba did not speak his mind in that meeting, but filled in the middle of discussions and supported the Deputy Prime Minister who had spelled out the need for power transfer.
RSS adds: In a press statement issued here today, Mr Deuba has expressed the belief that the internal democratic process involved in the election of parliamentary party leader this time will help further strengthen the democratic system.
Recalling the outstanding contribution made by founder leader of Nepali Congress Bishweshwor Prasad Koirala and respected leader Ganesh Man Singh in nurturing democratic norms and values within the party, he said as an added dimension to the two leaders’ contribution founder leader of party Krishna Prasad Bhattarai demonstrated his trust in younger generation within the party thereby giving the younger generation immense inspiration.
Mr Deuba also made it clear that respecting Mr Bhattarai’s trust in the younger generation and drawing inspiration from his trust I stood as a candidate for the parliamentary party leadership.
He has expressed his commitment to giving continuity to the leaders’ glorious tradition and working for the larger interest of the country and the people.
Expressing gratitude to the parliamentary party members who voted for him in the election of the parliamentary party leadership and all those who cooperated with him in the election, Mr Deuba said the support and cooperation of the colleagues that he enjoyed has further encouraged him to work for furthering democratic and moral values.
Koirala’s candidacy was proposed by Khum Bahadur Khadka and seconded by Tarini Datta Chataut while that of Deuba was proposed by Homnath Dahal and seconded by Krishna Kishore Ghimire.
Only these two candidates have registered their names for the election as of 11 am today. Time has been fixed till 12 noon today for withdrawal of nomination.