Kathmandu, Dec 12 (PTI) The Nepali Congress is set to elect a new party president for next four years on Monday, with incumbent Sher Bahadur Deuba facing challenge from four other contestants.

The Nepali Congress' 14th General Convention was inaugurated at the Bhrikuti Mandap in the capital on Friday, a highly anticipated four-day meet convened by the ruling party to elect the 134-member Central Working Committee and 13 office-bearers, including the party president.

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On Sunday, the party's central office published the final list of the candidates who have registered their nominations for various office bearers and central committee members.

According to the list, five candidates are vying for the post of the party president, seven for the post of two vice-presidents, six for the two general secretaries, and 19 nominations have been registered for eight assistant general secretaries.

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Seventy-five year old Prime Minister Deuba's party presidency is being challenged by four other contestants, including former party general secretary Prakash Man Singh, central committee members Shekhar Koirala, Bimalendra Nidhi and Kalyan Gurung.

Deuba and five other senior leaders had filed nomination papers for the party's senior-most position on Saturday. However, Yuba Raj Neupane withdrew his candidacy on Sunday in support of Koirala.

The voting will start at 8 am on Monday, which will last till 5 pm. A total of 4,743 Nepali Congress delegates will be casting their votes during the election on Monday. To be elected president, a candidate must secure 50 per cent plus one vote. If the votes are split a second round will be held.

If no one gets 50 per cent plus one vote in the first and second rounds of voting, then the two candidates with highest votes will contest a round among themselves.

Observers are expecting Prime Minister Deuba to be re-elected as the party president.

As many as 548 nominations were filed for the 134 posts of office bearers and members of the new central committee of the party.

Two of those who registered nominations for the office bearers and 58 of those who vied for central committee members have withdrawn their candidacy.

Thousands of party cadres are currently busy in the Bhrikutimandap area, where the general convention is being held, canvassing in favour of their respective candidates carrying banners and pictures of candidates.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)