Nirmala Sharma elected as FNJ Chair

KATHMANDU: Nirmala Sharma has been elected the Chair of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ). She is the first female figure to head the umbrella organisations of journalists.

As per the announcements of the final vote’s counts made by the FNC Central Election Committee on Sunday late night, Sharma secured 4,282 votes against 3,203 of her nearest competitor Ramesh Bista to win the election.

Devi Prasad Sapkota, the third candidate for the chair post, obtained 270 votes while another contender Lal Singh Lama got 96.

Similarly, Deepak Acharya has won the election for the Senior Vice Chair by receiving 4, 230 votes against 2,886 of his nearest competitor Roshan Puri.

Towards the Woman Vice Chair, Nitu Pundit obtained 4,705 votes to win the election while her rival Gangal Baral got 2,644.

Umid Bagchand won the post of Vice Chair (Inclusive) with 4292 votes while his nearest rival Susbhash Prasad Sah secured 2,080.

Ram Prasad Dahal has been elected the General Secretary with 4084 votes   and his nearest competitor Lekhnath Neupane got 1,929 and Ramesh Khatiwada has been elected as the Secretary from open with 3400 votes.

Other elected office bearers are Soni Sharma (Secretary, Woman- 4347), Sabin Priyasan (Secretary, Indigenous Nationalities-3,535), Ashok Kumar Tiwari (Secretary, Madheshi-3,858), Prakash Dhaulakoti (Secretary, Dalit- 4,110) and Baikuntha Raj Parajuli (Secretary, Associate-3,645).

Ramkrishna Adhikari has been elected on the post of treasurer with 3,847 votes.

Kamal Rimal, Shankar Kharel, Raju Bishwakarma and Rajesh Kumar Karna have been elected the central members representing the Koshi, and Madhesh provinces respectively.  Each province has two members on the central committee.

From the Bagmati Province (except the Kathmandu Valley, Nawaraj Pathik and Narayan Prasad Adhikari have won the election for the posts of central members while Krishna KC and KB Rana represent the Gandaki Province on the central committee.

Ramraj Pokhrel and Bikash Banjade are the newly elected central members from the Lumbini Province while Tularam Pandey and Nagendra Prasad Upadhya represent the Karnali Province.

Arjun Pant and Surya Subedi are from the Valley Province to get elected as the central members while Birendra Oli and Sabita Sharma represent the Corporate Province.

Pabitra Mudbhari and Menuka Kunwar have been elected from the Associate Province while Chhabilal Tiwari, Bhupendra Acharya, Mukunda Prasad Bhandari, Rameshwor Karki and Labadev Dhungana have won the elections for the central members through an open category.

Ruby Kumari Rauniyar (Madhesi Woman), Mala Palungawa (Indigenous Nationalities), Leela Shah Yogi (Khas Arya Woman),   Rita Budhathoki (Dalit Woman-unopposed) are the newly elected members on the FNJ central committee, representing various clusters.

Sikendra Paswan (Dalit), Sabitri Rasaili (Dalit-unopposed), Bharat Jargha Magar (Indigenous nationalities), Devika Gharti Magar (Indigenous Nationalities woman-unopposed), Raj Karan Mahato (Madheshi), Lalita Kumari Shah (Madhesi woman), Bhuparaj Basyal (person with disabilities) and Laxman Thami (minorities) have been elected the FNJ central members.

KC Lamichhane has won the election for the FNJ Public Committee Coordinator while Keshab Prasad Bohora has been elected as the members on the same committee and Rukmini Pokhrel has been elected as the member from the committee.  The FNJ elections for all the three-tier leadership were held simultaneously on Friday, December 13.