Oli re-elected UML Chairman by huge margin
KATHMANDU: Former Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli was elected as Chairman of the Nepal Communist Party-UML for the second time on Tuesday, defeating senior party leader, Bhim Bahadur Rawal, by a huge margin.
The party is currently holding the 10th national Congress to elect the new party leadership where Oli had imposed his decision on the selection of a new leadership without voting. As past party Chairman, he read out the list of the party office bearers and the central committee on Sunday. But a section of the party leaders opposed Oli's single decision to nominate the party's office bearers and Central Committee members and demanded the elections though they knew that they were sure to lose.
After strong reservations from party leaders to his actions, Oli finally agreed to go for elections. As many as 2,175 representatives from across the country voted to elect 301 members for the new Central Committee. As per the election results that are all set to be announced by Tuesday evening, Oli had secured 1,840 votes while his rival, Rawal has obtained just 223 votes, according to the CPN-UML leader, Rajan Bhattarai. The final announcement will be made after completing the counting of votes for different posts but Oli's camp is set to make a sweep.
Oli's aides have won the rest of the office bearers' posts including to the Central Committee. Insiders say even though elections happened, it is certain that everyone proposed by Oli is going to win, which will establish Oli's grip on the party. (IANS)
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