NC defers general convention date yet again

KATHMANDU, Aug 2: The 13th general assembly of ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has become uncertain with the party leadership repeatedly defering the date of the convention.

With the emergency meeting of the NC CWC on Saturday deciding to defer the general convention yet again for September 19-22, leaders within the party have started casting doubts if the convention will be held on the new date. "Our party leadership seriously lacks the seriousness required for holding general convention, hence the uncertainty," said NC CWC member Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat.As per the NC's statute, it is mandatory for the party to hold its general convention every four years. NC had last year decided to defer the convention for September 10-14. Saturday's emergency CWC meeting decided to defer the convention for one more week considering the possibility the country promulgating the new constitution by mid-September.

Amending the previous calendar of events, the NC CWC on Saturday made a decision to hold party's village and municipal convention by September 3 and regional convention on September 8. Likewise, the meeting decided to hold district-level convention of the party on September 11.

NC spokesman Dilendra Prasad Badu said NC is serious about holding the general convention and it will be held as scheduled. He further said the date was adjusted considering the possibility of promulgation of the new constitution.

Leaders are unhappy about only five-day gap between district-level conventions and the general convention. They said it is practically difficult for party members to arrive in Kathmandu within five days of holding the district conventions. "It takes over a week to arrive in Kathmandu from some remote districts of the country. Also, there is dispute within the party in some districts, so delegates will not be able to come to Kathmandu on time," said a leader.

Even as the rescheduled general convention date is fast approaching, party leaders have not yet started campaigning. While Sher Bahadur Deuba, who leads a parallel faction in the party, has already shown his intention to contest for party president, NC's establishment side has yet to make formal announcement of the presidential candidate.

Although NC Vice President Ram Chandra Paudel has quietly begun campaign for the post of party president in the upcoming general convention it is still unclear if the establishment faction will endorse his candidacy. There are apprehensions that President Sushil Koirala may choose to contest the general convention yet again.

Related story

Maoist to hold General Convention by November