The delay has affected the NC´s organization, and raised questions about Koirala´s leadership. He was never seen as a strong leader who would think clearly, act swiftly and stick to his decisions, but no one expected him to be this weak, indecisive and ineffectual. [break]
During a Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the end of November, Koirala had proposed Ram Chandra Paudel as vice-president and Krishna Sitaula as one of the two general-secretaries. But the rival faction led by former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba opposed the nominations, and Koirala failed to get them endorsed by the central committee. Since then Koirala has not replaced the nominees nor pushed the central committee hard to get their names through.
NC General-Secretary Prakash Man Singh, who was elected as ´running mate´ to Koirala during the party´s last convention, said appointment of the office bearers has been delayed as the president is trying to forge consensus.
As per Article 21(D) of the party statute, the elected president has to pick a vice-president, a general-secretary and a joint general-secretary from among the elected CWC members and get their names ´endorsed´ by the elected body of the party´s CWC. Altogether 64 CWC members including the president and two other office-bearers are directly elected by the general convention.
General-Secretary Singh argued that it is the prerogative of the party´s elected president to name the vice-president, general-secretary and joint general-secretary. But the word ´endorse´ used in the party´s amended statute has been interpreted by rival faction leaders as ´endorsement through voting´.
Though Koirala holds a comfortable majority in the 85-member CWC after nominating 16 of the 21 nominated members, he does not command a majority among the elected CWC members - something he requires to get Paudel and Sitaula ´endorsed´ as vice-president and general-secretary respectively.
CWC members close to Deuba argue that the appointment of officer-bearers has been delayed due to lack of will on Koirala´s part to forge a ´package deal´ for all appointments in the party. Besides appointments of party office-bearers, the president is yet to make appointments to the party´s parliamentary board, work performance committee, disciplinary committee and various departments within the party organization.
The Deuba faction wants either vice-president or general-secretary.
NC CWC member Bimalendra Nidhi, who contested the post of general-secretary as Deuba´s ´running mate´ during the 12th General Convention, said talks between Deuba and Koirala to settle the issue failed as Koirala is not willing to reach a ´package deal´ on all appointments to be made in the party. “There had been some efforts to settle the issue in the past. But the efforts failed as Koirala lacks the will to work things out,” said Nidhi.
Nidhi said big expectations that party unity would be further strengthened after the 12th general convention have not materialized. “There must be a package deal on all appointments both in the party organization and in the parliamentary party to ensure real unity within the party,” he argued.
“The party president should either be able to nominate candidates acceptable to all or get his nominations endorsed in the party. To deny nominations to power centers within the party is tantamount to closing one´s eyes to reality,” he said.
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