Kathmandu: The ruling alliance has decided to take action against rebel candidates filing candidacies against official candidates of the alliance if they failed to withdraw their candidacies.
A meeting of top leaders of the coalition held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Friday morning decided to take action against rebel candidates by the concerned party.
Secretary of the Rastriya Janamorcha Himlal Puri said that it was decided to direct rebel candidates to withdraw their candidacies within the deadline specified by the Election Commission. Puri said that the concerned party would take disciplinary action against those failing to withdraw candidacies.
“Discussions have been held to direct rebel candidates in different municipals including Bharatpur to withdraw their candidacies. The concerned party will take disciplinary action against those not abiding by the decision,” said Puri.
A leader said that the discussion was mainly focused on Nepali Congress leader Jagannath Poudel who has filed an independent candidature against Renu Dahal, the official candidate of Bharatpur Metropolis from the alliance.
The Nepali Congress is making an attempt to appease Poudel to withdraw his candidacy. Chairman Sher Bahadur Deuba had sent Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand and Minister of State Umesh Shrestha as his special envoys to Bharatpur for the mission. However, Poudel is adamant about not withdrawing his candidature.
Earlier today, Nepali Congress urged its leaders and cadres to withdraw their rebel candidacy against official candidates of the party in the upcoming May 13 local election within the Election Commission-stipulated time.
Issuing a press release on Friday, NC Office Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Poudel urged rebel candidates of the party to withdraw their candidacy within 5 pm today and also play an active role to make the party official candidates victorious.
If the candidates did not withdraw their rebel candidacy on the EC-stipulated date and time, the party membership of the candidates, their proposers, and supporters would be automatically terminated as per Article 4 (12) of NC Statute, 2017 BS (with amendments), the statement reads.
The meeting of the alliance also decided to immediately cancel an electoral alliance with parties outside the five-party alliance.
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