Oli in Crisis as Oli Faction Loyalists Rapidly Desert Him, Pokharel Group Enthusiastic

Voting for the selection of the next leadership is taking place today as part of the 11th National General Convention of CPN (UML) currently underway in Kathmandu. According to the schedule of the party's central election commission, the voting will take place from 12 noon until 6 pm today.

For the party leadership of the upcoming five-year term, the current Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwar Pokharel have entered the field with separate panels. Pokharel has challenged Oli, who is attempting to become Chairman for the third time at the 11th General Convention.

Oli was elected as Chairman in the party's 9th and 10th General Conventions. From Oli's panel, five candidates for Vice-Chairman are in the electoral competition: Bishnu Paudel, Ram Bahadur Thapa 'Badal', Guru Baral, and Prithvi Subba Gurung.