Mar 13, Kathmandu - The Nepali Congress is in the final stages of selecting 20 Members of Parliament through proportional representation, following directives from the Election Commission. The commission has set a 3% threshold for seats allocation to parties, leading to the Congress's efforts in finalizing its list.

According to Acting General Secretary Krishna Prasad Dulal, the Election Commission has divided the seats into clusters, with the Congress now working to select its representatives. Out of the 20 proportional representation seats allocated to the party, 15 women will be chosen from the closed list.

The commission has instructed the Congress to include six candidates from the Khas-Arya and indigenous communities, three from the Madheshi and Dalit groups, and one each from Tharu and Muslim communities. A portion of these seats will also be allocated to underrepresented regions, with the list including two women and two men from such areas, among whom one will be selected.

Prominent candidates under consideration include Bidya Devi Timilsina and Hajari Nepali for women, while men like Bhim Bahadur Tiruwa from Mugu and Tara Bahadur Lama from Humla are also in the running.

In the Khas-Arya category, Sushila Dhakal, Rukmani Devi Koirala, Rina Upreti, Sita Thapaliya, and Ganga Shahi are strong contenders. For men, Arjun Narsingh K.C. from Cluster 1 may secure a seat, depending on the female candidates from other clusters.

Indigenous candidates such as Gita Kumari Syangdyang, Ganga Laxmi Awal, Gita Gurung, Renuka Kaucha, Sunita Kumari Subedi, and Bhishmaraj Angdambe are likely to be nominated. Similarly, Madhesi candidates include Ninu Kumari Karn, Rekha Kumari Yadav, and Chandra Mohan Yadav, while Dalit hopefuls are Harina Devi Kami, Pabitra BK, and Man Bahadur Nepali.

Tharu candidate Pramila Kumari Gachhadar and Muslim candidate Shahzan Khatun are also being considered for the list. The party is currently discussing the final names based on the clusters, with the deadline set for tomorrow.

Party Secretary Guru Raj Ghimire mentioned that the party is focusing on finalizing the list by cross-referencing the names from the commission’s cluster-based allocations. The Election Commission has given three days for parties to submit their candidate lists, and officials will verify and issue certificates within two days after receiving the final nominations.