Tens of thousands of NC cadres and leaders, top leaders of various political parties represented in the constituent assembly, the prime minister, the speaker and foreign delegates from India, China and Sri Lanka participated in the function. [break]
The closed session of the party will begin in the Exhibition Hall at Bhrikuti Mandap from Saturday. There will be nomination of candidates for office bearers and Central Working Committee members from 8 a.m.
General convention representatives will debate the party´s plans and policies and analyze party activities over the last five years before finally voting on September 21 to elect the new office bearers and CWC members.
Speaking during the inaugural session, political party leaders extended best wishes for the success of the general convention. Recalling the contributions made by the NC in past struggles for democracy, the leaders stressed the need of consensus among political parties to help institutionalize the achievements of the historic Janaandolan II in April, 2006.
NC Acting President Sushil Koirala said the NC is in favor of consensus among political parties to help end the current political deadlock and institutionalize the achievements of the historic Janaandolan II.
Koirala said the NC would, however, not compromise on the fundamental values of democracy such as press freedom, human rights, pluralism and rule of law.
Senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba said the NC should get to lead the ongoing peace process to its logical end as the NC had successfully led all historic changes in Nepal. He expressed commitment to make the NC the largest party and one inclusive of all groups of people.
CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal said that unity between NC and the UML had been able to achieve major gains including reinstatement of parliament and declaration of Nepal as a federal republic. “The current deadlock can be resolve if all big and small parties work together,” he added.
Prime Minister Nepal said the republican setup became possible in Nepal after NC and the UML along with the UCPN (Maoist) worked together. He said that consensus among political parties is a must to institutionalize the achievements of the historic Janaandolan II.
Speaker Subas Nembang said the NC should adopt the mantra of consensus, cooperation and unity as enunciated by the late Girija Prasad Koirala to help resolve the current political deadlock and institutionalize the achievements of Janaandolan II.
He expressed concern over the failure of parliament to elect a new prime minister even after seven rounds of voting.
Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Democratic) Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar asked leaders of the major political parties to shed their longing for “chair” and rise above partisan interests to resolve the current political deadlock.
He argued that the Madhesi parties should get to lead the new government if the big three fail to strike a deal and elect a new prime minister.
“One language, One attire” old tale
The audience present at the inaugural ceremony started to hoot in defiance as Nepal Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato, clad in dhoti kurta, strutted before the podium and began his congratulatory speech in Hindi.
Stung by the jeering, Mahato uttered the nugget that ´One language one attire´ was a slogan of the Panchayat regime.
“What the democratic forces of today must understand is ´One language one attire´ is an old tale and it cannot be revived any more than the Panchayat system,” Mahato clarified.
Meantime, NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel reached the podium and appealed to the audience to let Mahato speak in whatever language he prefers.
Mahato said that if we are to accept Nepal as a republic from the “heart” everyone should erase any concept of demarcation between Hills and Tarai and that would be the true definition of “inclusive Nepal.”
Wary of the audience, Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandidevi) Chairman Sarita Giri sought permission from NC Acting President Koirala to speak in Hindi.
Congratulation notes from neighbors
An ample number of Indian political leaders as well as representatives of the Chinese and Sri Lankan governments were present at the opening ceremony to congratulate the NC and wish for the success of the general convention.
Indian leaders including Sadananda Singh from Indian National Congress, Bharat Kochiyari from Baratiya Janata Party, Dr Girish Sharma from Communist Party of India, Jogendra Sharma from Communist Party of India (Maxist) and Indian socialist leaders Surendra Mohan and Bijaya Pratap expressed hope that the NC general convention would prove fruitful towards concluding the peace process and writing a new constitution.
Likewise, Chinese envoy to Nepal Qui Guohong and Sri Lankan Minister for Environment Anura Priyadarsana extended congratulations on behalf of their respective governments.
Maoists not ´dragged´ but came ´willingly´
There was commotion in the audience as NC leaders and the Maoist Chairman began making claims and counter-claims over whether the Maoists were dragged into the peace process.
Maoist Chairman Dahal refuted the NC leaders´ version that the NC had played a pivotal role in coaxing the Maoists into the politics of consensus. Conceding that the late Girija Prasad Koirala and he had shared an “intimate relationship”, Dahal said it was not Koirala who had ´dragged´ the Maoists to the peace process.
“We came willingly,” Dahal said. “The 12-point pact was signed according to mutual understanding.”
Dahal also refuted the claim that the NC had ventured to bring the Maoists into mainstream politics. “We had an understanding to create a new political stream and that had nothing to do with mainstream politics,” Dahal stated.
NC senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba later said the NC did not drag the Maoists into the peace process but came on their own.
Happy at NC getting facelift
Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, a former prominent NC leader who defected to the then Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum and now chairman of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (Democratic), standing on the podium asked the audience whether he looked like a Congressi.
Later, he said to the baffled crowd that he was no more like a Congressi and that he was a common Nepali, as if to avoid getting bracketed with the Congress leaders.
Gachchhadar expressed happiness that the NC had kick-started a culture of “democratic practice” within the party on the threshold of the 12th general convention. “It was not seen before,” he said.
Ex-CoAS Katawal a guest
Former army chief Rookmangud Katawal was among the guests on the dais at the inaugural function. He was in the second row just behind Maoist Chairman Dahal.
Asked if Katawal had taken membership of the party, a senior NC leader said, “He was just one of several invitees. The NC had backed President Dr Ram Baran Yadav´s move to reinstate Katawal after he was dismissed by the Maoist-led government in May, 2009 some four months before his retirement.
Related story
Special general convention of the party will be held after elec...
