CPN-UML has urged CPN (Maoist Center) to take initiative for withdrawal of rebel candidacy filed by Maoist leaders against the UML candidates fielded by the left alliance.
Office secretary of UML Krishna Gopal Shrestha claimed that the rebel candidacy filed by disgruntled UML leaders against Maoist candidates will all be withdrawn and added that the party is holding discussion with Maoist Center for withdrawal of rebel candidacy given by Maoist leaders against UML's candidates.
There have been many instances of disgruntled leaders of both the parties filing candidacy against the alliance candidate from the other party for both parliamentary and provincial assembly elections.
Sur Bahadur Budha of Maoist Center has filed nominations against the alliance candidate from UML Gopal Bahadur Bam for parliamentary election in Mugu.
Shrestha said there is a problem in Dolakha as UML leader Lal Kumar KC has quit the party and filed candidacy from CPN-ML against the Maoist candidate fielded by the alliance. "The party is different there. It has, therefore, not been resolved. There is problem even in Baglung," he stated.
Govinda Bikram Shah of UML, who had filed nominations against alliance candidate from Maoist Center for parliamentary election in Jajarkot Shakti Bahadur Basnet, has agreed to take back his candidacy on request of the central leadership of UML. "The discussion is positive. We expect that UML will get the candidacy withdrawn," Basnet told Setopati.
Maoist Center is facing difficulty to get its leaders to withdraw rebel candidacy. Maoist Laxmi Gurung has filed nominations against the alliance candidate from the party in Ramechhap Shyam Kumar Shrestha. "We have been holding discussion for withdrawal of the candidacy but there has been no breakthrough," Shrestha told Setopati. Withdrawal of Gurung's candidacy there, however, looks unlikely.
Maoist Center's Tejendra Kham Magar has also filed nominations against alliance candidate from the party in Eastern Rukum Kamala Rokka. Rokka said the party is holding discussion with Magar and the candidacy will be withdrawn by Wednesday. "We are holding discussion. He will take back the candidacy," she added.
The candidates will have to withdraw candidacy by one Wednesday afternoon as per the Election Commission's schedule.
