KATHMANDU, Aug 29: Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to hold its 12th general convention from March 10-14 in Kathmandu. A Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the party took the decision to this effect on Saturday, according to party general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi. [break]
He said the meeting also decided to hold the party´s Mahasamiti meeting from November 1-3 in Birgunj. The Mahasamiti meeting is entrusted to formulate the party´s policies and future course of action.
The Mahasamiti meeting holds special significance as it will develop the party´s official position on several issues of new constitution and amend the party´s statute. The 12th convention also holds equally big significance as it is the first convention after the NC and NC (Democratic) merged. The convention will elect new leadership of the party. Incumbent party president Girija Prasad Koirala is likely to retire after the 12th convention.
Nidhi said the meeting also decided to extend the terms of party´s bodies from center to village level till April 13 as the current terms expire on Monday.
As per the NC´s statute, the terms can be extended by two years, not more than one year at a time, if the party failed to hold its general convention on time. The NC had extended the terms by a year on August 31, 2008.
Sujata´s bid to ´capture´ party
Many NC central committee members on Saturday raised the issue of party leaders distributing and renewing active memberships in 11 districts even though the CWC had earlier asked them to stop the same until an agreement is reached on the procedures to follow on the issue.
In the latest case, Sujata Koirala was found to have taken 8,000 renewal and 4,000 new membership forms for distribution in Sunsari, according to party sources.
After acting president Sushil Koirala, vice president Ram Chandra Poudel and general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi expressed ignorance about the case, the central leaders sought clarification from them on the issue.
After examining the records, Nidhi told them that active memberships were found to have been renewed and distributed in the districts including in Siraha, Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Dolpa and Bajhang against the party´s earlier decision to put off the process. "Most central members have asked to nullify the memberships distributed so far and re-start the process only after agreeing on the procedures to follow," said a source. "The next CWC meeting scheduled for Tuesday will take a decision on this issue."
The active members are entitled to choose a total of seven representatives -- three Mahasamiti members and four observers -- each from an election constituency to the party´s general convention.
koshraj@myrepublica.com
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