HETAUDA: The Seventh National Convention of the UCPN (Maoist) reelected Puspha Kamal Dahal Prachanda as the party Chairman unanimously.

Likewise, Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha were also elected the two vice-chairmen unanimously as expected earlier. Unexpectedly, former secretary Posta Bahadur Bogati was elevated to the post of general secretary. Most of the party cadres and analysts had expected Krishna Bahadur Mahara as the new general secretary. 

The general convention has elected 98 members in the central committee while other 52 would be appointed from the indigenous, women, Janajati, Dalit, backward region and minority communities, the party source said.

Earlier, in the party’s closed session party leader Amik Sherchan had floated the proposal to elect Dr Bhattarai to the post of party Chairman.

However, party leader Bhattarai himself proposed Prachanda to the post of Chairman saying that ‘Prachanda is the leader of leaders as well’. Another leader Shrestha seconded the proposal of Dr Bhattarai.

Giving a concluding statement, newly elected Chairman Prachanda said that the party approved a proposal for forming a Chief Justice-led national unity government and the decision would be implemented through talks and dialogues with other political parties.