Paras Khadka, the former captain of the national cricket team and currently the Bagmati president of the Nepal Cricket Association (CAN), is set to announce his candidacy for the position of Secretary at the upcoming CAN central convention scheduled for Ashoj 5 and 6.

CAN's statute allows state and district officials to contest elections for central working committee positions and office bearers, giving Paras the opportunity to vie for any central role despite his current position as the Bagmati president. Although many see him as a potential central president, close sources suggest that Paras will not be running for the presidency this year. Instead, he has chosen to focus on the Secretary role, with plans to assume CAN leadership in the future.

Chatur Bahadur Chand, the incumbent president, has expressed his intention to seek re-election. Chand wields significant influence over CAN's district and state structure, prompting Paras to adopt a collaborative strategy rather than compete directly against him. The source revealed, "He has been supporting Chand for another term as president." The plan is to nominate candidates with Chand as president and Paras as secretary.

The Secretary's position is considered highly influential within CAN, second only to the President. The Secretary also assumes the role of spokesperson. After serving as Bagmati President and Central Secretary for four years, Paras is contemplating a bid for the presidency in the subsequent term, though no official announcement has been made. He has indicated that his decision will be made after consulting with friends.

Chatur remains the sole aspirant for the chairmanship in the central CAN elections. Former treasurer Roshan Singh briefly expressed interest but has since withdrawn, opting to support Chairman Chand if he secures a respectable position within the working committee.

With the backing of both Paras and Singh, Chatur's chances of re-election as CAN President appear strong. Five out of seven provinces are expected to support Chatur-Paras, with Sudurpaschim and Karnali already endorsing Chand. The Chatur-Paras alliance anticipates substantial support from Koshi, Gandaki, and Bagmati. Chatur estimates that he could secure 50 to 55 votes out of a total of 85 voters.

Political leadership also appears to favor Chatur's re-election, as he is a member of the Congress party. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' is reportedly supportive, considering the challenges Chatur faced during his previous term due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CAN's election process involves representatives from each district, half the number of provincial representatives, all members of the current Central Committee, one representative from the Umpire's Association, and one from the Coaches' Association exercising their voting rights. Umpires and coaches' association representatives are ineligible to contest elections, but members of the Central Working Committee can run for any position if they choose to do so.