Kathmandu, November 25: UML Senior Vice-Chairperson Ishwar Pokhrel has announced his candidacy for the post of party Chairperson in the 11th General Convention.

Issuing a statement on Tuesday, he informed that he declared his candidacy for the Chairperson with the objective of party reorganization and transformation.

In the statement, he said, “I am committed to developing the UML as a decisive national force through collective leadership and initiatives, by assigning responsibilities to party comrades based on their qualifications, capabilities, and interests. Respecting the principles of internal party democracy that I have advocated myself, I expect that Party Chairperson Comrade KP Sharma Oli will play a positive role in the transfer of leadership. I request the Party Chairperson to provide a smooth transition through a guardian-like role.”

He also stated that it is necessary to move forward by prioritizing the protection of the party, the defense of the Nepali nation, and the safeguarding of the interests of the Nepali people.

Pokhrel has set his own panel with the backing of former President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

It is believed that the party election would not be an easy task for Oli to ensure his victory.

People’s News Monitoring Service.