KATHMANDU, Feb 28: Nepali Congress (NC) is choosing the parliamentary party (PP) leader on March 5. And, since the party has failed to choose the PP leader unanimously, President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Prakash Man Singh are set to race for the position.

Deuba supporters and second-rung leaders of the party have favored Deuba to continue for the position. Deuba has a clear majority, with 36 lawmakers of the total 63 supporting him.

On the contrary, Prakashman Singh, who is backed by Ram Chandra Poudel-led faction, has 24 lawmakers. Krishna Sitaula has 3 lawmakers.

But leader Singh seems confident of winning the PP leader race.

“I have never lost a contest in NC’s political history. Therefore I am confident of winning the PP election,” Singh told Rishi Dhamala while announcing his candidacy for the post at a lunch party organized by General Secretary Shashank Koirala at his residence in Tokha for the party’s newly elected members of House of Representatives and National Assembly.

“I will contest the election, and I will win,” he expressed his confidence.

Earlier, party President Deuba had announced his candidacy for the position from the same venue.

Singh also suggested Deuba to step down arguing the party is expecting a new leadership. “The party could not perform as expected under Deuba’s leadership. Even after the two years of general convention, he has not been able to appoint a vice-president yet. It is because of him, the structures of the party could not function- a major cause for the party’s weak performance in the recent elections.” The NC lost the election securing only 23 seats under the first-past-the-post system whereas the left alliance comprising of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) swept the elections winning 116 seats.

“Deuba could not do what he should have done. Therefore, electing him as the PP leader against will be a big mistake,” he added.

Singh was of the opinion that party’s leadership should be changed to revive the party’s popularity and bring reformation.

Responding to a query about his bases for winning elections, he said, “There are many. Everybody will know after we go to election process. Remember one thing, I have never lost election. I know that I will secure majority of votes.”

Meanwhile, Shashank Koirala, who was also seen as the possible contender for the position, seems in no mood to contest the election given that Deuba has clear majority.

Earlier, Koirala was opining that Deuba should forward his name for the post in consensus.

KATHMANDU, Dec 31: Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh has said the sister organizations of the party have been feeble for the party failed to run in line with its statute.

During a program organized by Nepal Students’ Union on the 41st National Reconciliation Day Sunday, leader Singh said time has come to ensure that party runs in an institutional manner.

Also the former General Secretary of the party, Singh said, “NC is sick. It needs a good doctor for treatment.” He further expressed wonder why the vacant posts in various committees and departments were still not fulfilled in the party.

According to him, even the communists have begun following democratic principles advocated by the late BP Koirala. So, the NC must play vital role to boost the democracy.

Central member of the party Navindra Raj Joshi said the reason behind party’s debacle in the election is its failure to make people aware of nationality and democracy.

Another central member Gururaj Ghimire said time has come for NC to bring renaissance to restore its robust presence in the country politics. In-house unity is must to strengthen party and the democracy, he underscored.

Former Chairman of Nepal Student Union, Ranjit Karna, said the party leadership needs to change its thoughts and work style. RSS

KATHMANDU, Dec 25: Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh on Monday said that the party was in need of urgent reforms if it has to revive its strength.

Nepali Congress won only 23 of 165 seats under the first-past-the-post category of House of Representatives election, while the left alliance sweeping the elections securing 116 seats.  Leader Singh argues that NC’s weak performance in the elections was due to weak leadership and lack of ability to function according to the party statue.

“NC is in the need of urgent reforms if the party has to revive strength from the weak performance in the recently concluded federal parliament and province assembly election,” said Singh while speaking at a ‘tea reception and get-together’ program organized by Nepali Congress Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward Number 10 Committee in the capital.

“The party well-wishers and cadres have been suggesting me that the party was in need of reform. I will pressurize the party president for the same,” the party’s former general secretary said.

He however said that people’s faith in NC has not diminished since the party got better number votes toward the proportional representation system.

He further stated that the NC’s poor election results were because the party could not disseminate well the good works it had carried out while leading the government.

Leader Singh suggested that rather than only looking up to the leaders for development the people should exert pressure to them for the same. RSS

KATHMANDU, Dec 15: Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh has said it is sad indeed that the Nepali Congress, a party that has struggled long for democracy, has floundered in the elections.

Addressing a ‘get-together and thanks giving’ program organized by the Nepali Congress Kathmandu constituency number 1 committee at Ananda Events on Friday, Singh said, “It is sad that the expected election results could not come in favor of a party that carries with it a history of struggle and public trust. A party that has provided leadership in every movement waged in the country has lost the elections and the time has now come to correct the shortcomings in the party and make it the ace party in the coming elections,” he said.

Stating that the party faced debacle in the election due to the people within the party itself, he called for an end to what he called the tendency of ‘not cooperating to the party at times of need while carrying the party’s bag’.

He also said the election results for the Nepali Congress even in Kathmandu were not satisfactory.

Singh has been elected the member of the House of Representatives from Kathmandu constituency-1. On the occasion, he also committed to always working for the development of his constituency. Leader Singh thanked the people from his constituency for electing him.

He said the Nepali Congress would play the role of a responsible opposition in the parliament. RSS

KATHMANDU, Dec 9: Nepali Congress’s Prakash Man Singh won a parliamentary seat in Kathmandu constituency 1. Singh got 10,936 votes, while his closest rival Bibeksheel Sajha’s Rabindra Mishra secured 10,118 votes. The left alliance’s Anil Shrama garnered 5,336 votes.

POKHARA, July 15: Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh has urged the leaders to lead the party ahead by maintaining internal unity.

Speaking in the mourning assembly today organized to pay condolence over the demise of party leader Ramhari Joshi, leader Singh stressed on party unity to make the party largest in provincial and federal elections.

In another context, he said that implementing the constitution was the responsibility of Nepali Congress as it was promulgated in the leadership of NC itself.

Leader Singh also urged all leaders and cadres to follow the honesty and lifestyle of late leader Joshi.

Leaders Chandra Bhandari, Deepak Giri, NP Saund, Shankar Bhandari and other local leaders also addressed the programme. RSS

KAPILBASTU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Local Development, Prakash Man Singh has said that this government is committed to make Nepal as a zero-corruption nation.

Speaking at the inaugurating program of the bridge joining Balrampur and Hariharpur of Kapilbastu, DPM and Minister for Local Development Singh has said that the nation first should become free from the corruption. He said, “Unless nation free from the corruption, Nation won’t become with the good governance so we need to focus on the making country free from the deep routed problem of nation (Corruption).”

He stressed that this government is people elected government and will address the problems of the peoples soon. He focused that for the welfare of the public there is essential of the election for the local body within six months as per the agreement done between NC & UML. He informed that the government has started its homework for holding the election of the local body time.

Minister Singh has also claimed to establish to those peoples who have been under the victims of the 10 years long insurgency and displaced peoples in the society.

Kathmandu: While some of the top leaders are trying to lure the Mohan Baidya-led CPN-Maoist with 26 seats offer through cabinet appointment to bring them in the Constituent Assembly, Nepali Congress (NC) general secretary Prakashman Singh has taken exception towards such offer to the poll opposing party.  Addressing the inaugural of Liaison Office of Election Campaign at Bijulibazar in Kathmandu today, Singh expressed his serious reservation towards the remarks of some leaders that the Baidya-led CPN-Maoist could be brought to the Constituent Assembly through the cabinet appointment.

“Nobody has a right to distribute the seats of Constituent Assembly under the cabinet appointment,” said Singh.

Singh also expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the Election Commission. He said that the EC could not take action against the violators of the election code of conduct.
Meanwhile, NC leader Sujata Koirala has said that the Baidya-led Maoist could be brought to the CA by offering them 26 seats through the cabinet appointment. Talking with the journalists at Biratnagar airport today, Koirala also said that Baidya-led CPN-Maoist could be inducts into the government formed after the CA polls.

BHAKTAPUR: Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Prakashman Singh has said that democratic constitution would be promulgated only if the NC stands the major force in next Constituent Assembly (CA).

At a programme organised by the NC Balkot and Dadhikot VDC here on Friday, Singh expressed the view that the erstwhile CA failed to promulgate new constitution as the UCPN -Maoist continued its totalitarian mentality for being the single largest party.

The constitution would not be promulgated again if the UCPN-Maoist was victorious in the forthcoming CA election.

Claiming that the NC has the main responsibility to safeguard nationality, Singh pointed out that all the NC well-wishers should be active for the same.

The NC General Secretary urged all cadres to come on ground for the CA election scheduled for November 19 and added that totalitarianism would get upper hand in the country if CA election was not held.

Similarly, NC leader Gagan Thapa recalled that the NC brought the UCPN-Maoist into the mainstream of the peace process through the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Thapa said that NC should raise the issues of nationality and democracy simultaneously.

Thapa claimed that the poll-opposing parties would be automatically boycotted from people and country’s mainstream agenda.

CHITWAN: Nepali Congress Genera Secretary Prakash Man Singh has claimed that there is no alternative to holding Constituent Assembly elections on November 19.

addressing party cadre meet here in Ratnanagar, Singh said that only CA elections can secure democracy and fate of Nepalese people in the years ahead.

He stressed on the need of all political parties to participate in the CA elections and urged all the dissenting parties to join them. He said that the major political parties were ready to negotiate on all other demands of the dissenting parties other than deferring CA election date and dissolving the incumbent government.