Kathmandu, April 10 -- The panel of journalists backed by associations close to the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) has won 51 of the 52 positions of the central committee of the Federation of Nepali Journalists defeating a panel backed by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's CPN-UML.

After practicing a system of indirect voting for decade the outgoing office bearers led by president Govinda Acharya had adopted a direct election system by amending the statute to allow all the Federation's general members to vote for central office-bearers.

Bipul Pokhrel, backed by 11 associations, including Madhav Nepal-led UML faction and Rastriya Janamorcha, was elected president beating Nirmala Sharma-led panel backed also ...