The leaders expressed such hope as the party continues to remain sharply divided even five years after the unification between NC and then NC (Democratic) and two-and-a-half years after the party´s 12th general convention held in September, 2010. “Party should stand united for election. Top leaders are yet to settle their difference even as the election is just around the corner,” said NC Achchham District Committee President Pushpa Bahadur Shah.[break]
Shah argued the party not only requires a concrete policy on various contentious issues such as federalism, system of governance and other concurrent political issues for victory in election, but also settlement of intra-party disputes in the party. “Party cadres like us would have been more energized and confident had the party´s central leadership settled all internal issues before the Mahasamiti meeting,” added Shah, who was on his way to Nawalparasi when Republica talked to him over telephone.
Many leaders were optimistic about party president Sushil Koirala´s recent initiatives toward settling internal differences with senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba. But the leaders are dismayed as the two leaders are attending the Mahasamiti meeting without resolving the disputes.
The intra-party rift that continues in NC even after the unification in 2008 had resurfaced in September, 2011 after Koirala “unilaterally” dissolved the working committees of the party´s seven sister organizations, including NSU, Nepal Tarun Dal and Nepal Women´s Association. Though the long-running dispute seemingly came to an end after both the leaders agreed to name the chiefs of the seven sister organizations through consensus on February 5, 2012, the two factions are yet to give full shape to the working committees of the sister organizations and form crucial bodies in the party such as the parliamentary party and the disciplinary committee.
As Koirala is also yet to nominate five members in the 85-member CWC and joint general secretary of the party, the differences between the two factions is manifested time and again. “The party leadership should have settled the differences before the Mahasamiti meeting,” said NC Dailekh district committee president Krishna Kumar BC. “The party should settle all the differences before we go for fresh election.”
The Mahasamiti meeting, which is mandated to take policy related decisions, is the most powerful body of NC after the party´s general convention. The four-day national gathering of NC Mahasamiti members is expected to bring amendments to the party statute in line with suggestions offered by the 12th general convention and endorse a political paper that would clarify the party´s stand on issues such as federalism, system of governance, issues related to Tarai-Madhes and the future course of the party.
Many NC leaders believe that lack of unity was one of the several factors behind the party´s humiliating defeat in the 2008 CA election. They are apprehensive that the party may not be able to win the confidence of the ordinary people to make it big in the upcoming election.
Some party leaders, however, deny serious differences within the party. “Since all three top leaders are unanimous on the formation of Chief Justice-led Interim Election Council, it is not fair to say that NC has serious intra-party conflict,” said NC Solukhumbu district committee president Aang Gelu Sherpa. “I see this as a manifestation of the ambitions of individual leaders.”
Sherpa argued that the Mahasamiti meeting should be able to give the party a new direction. “The Mahasamiti meeting should be able to prepare the basis for the party´s election manifesto while incorporating the concerns of all groups,” he added.
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