KATHMANDU, Oct 4: The Nepali Congress’s 15th General Convention has begun today at Khulamanch in Kathmandu, with the party opting for a low-key publicity campaign in view of the loss of lives and property caused by the August 26 floods.
The inaugural session was held at Khulamanch, while closed sessions will be held over the next two days. Elections for the party’s new leadership are scheduled for October 7 and 8.
The convention was originally scheduled for October 2 but was postponed by two days due to continuous rainfall across the country.
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More than 7,500 elected representatives from Nepal and abroad are expected to participate in the convention. Party leaders, delegates and supporters have begun gathering in Kathmandu ahead of the inaugural session.
Fifteen committees have been formed to manage the convention. A stage has been set up at Khulamanch, along with separate halls for the closed sessions, a media centre and a health desk.
The party has decided against extravagant publicity, taking into account the losses caused by the August 26 flood disaster. Information about the convention has instead been disseminated through around 100 digital boards in major cities, including the Kathmandu Valley.
Candidates contesting the convention elections have been directed to use only digital platforms for campaigning. The party has also adopted an eco-friendly campaign policy, prohibiting flex boards, banners, posters, pamphlets and other printed promotional materials at the convention venue and surrounding areas.
The closed sessions will be held in three halls named Himal, Pahad and Terai-Madhesh. Party President Gagan Kumar Thapa will inaugurate the convention, which will be addressed by senior Congress leaders and representatives of other political parties.
The convention will discuss the party’s political direction, organisational reforms and the role of the new generation, besides electing new leadership.
