Bhattarai rules out support to Koirala

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Nov 8 – Former president of the ruling Nepali Congress Krishna Prasad Bhattarai Wednesday refuted that he had extended support to Prime Minister and president of the party Girija Prasad Koirala’s bid for re-election to the party’s top-most post.

At a press conference on Tuesday, 76 year-old Koirala said he was seeking re-election to the party’s presidency.

“Party president Koirala had added my name to his announcement for re-election,” said Bhattarai, via a press statement. “But

I had been maintaining, both in the Parliament and in public outside, that NC and the government’s leadership should go to the young generation leaders which I want to re-iterate it here.”

“I believe that if both Koirala and I provide guidance to the younger lot without seeking any post, it will favour the country, the democracy and the party. I told this to the PM yesterday,” added Bhattarai.

About the raging controversy in the party over the issue of active members who are going to elect the party president, the senior leader said that he had asked Koirala to immediately publish the list of active members for the up-coming General Convention without any anomalies “as per the agreement reached in the Central Working Committee”.

“If the list remains a secret, how can the candidates know their voters for canvassing their support,” said Bhattarai. “I want to repeat my request that the report be made public. If this does not happen, people may think that we have no internal democracy in NC.”