NC factions divided on forming interim structures

Kathmandu, July 27

Opinions are sharply divided in the Nepali Congress’ Central Working Committee on whether the party should prepare for the 14th General Convention by suspending provisions related to formation of interim structures.

While the Sher Bahadur Deuba faction wants to form interim structures first, rival faction led by Ramchandra Paudel want the party to announce the date of the next GC and prepare a calendar of events.

NC leader Minednra Rijal is for suspending the party statute’s provisions related to formation of interim structures.

Deuba’s tenure ends in March next year, but there is a provision for extension of tenure.

NC leader Nabindra Raj Joshi said election for the party’s local units should be held one year before the GC.

“This means if we form the local units today, the next GC can be held only after a year,” he said, adding that the party should announce the date for the GC and prepare a work calendar. If we need to extend the date of the GC by six months or one year, then we will go for it but at present, announcing the GC date is important,” Joshi said.

Rijal said he favoured suspending the NC statute’s provisions related to formation of interim structures, or else, the party would not be able to hold the GC in the next 15 months. He said the party should invoke remove hurdle clause of the statute to suspend provisions on formation of interim structures.

He further said the party would need at least three months to distribute membership to new active members. “If we directly prepare for the next GC, elections to various bodies of the party will be held as per the new statute, which means 60 per cent seats will be elected and 40 per cent will be nominated.

Representation of the eight clusters will also be ensured,” Rijal said.

NC General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka said he favoured creating interim structures so that the party could renew memberships and distribute active memberships.

Khadka said the party could prepare a calendar of events for the next GC only after it created interim structures. He said there were two opinions with some leaders saying the new structures provisioned in the party statute should be created and some saying the old structures that worked during the 13th GC should be revived by merging office bearers whose geographical areas might have altered in the new federal structure.

An NC source said that Deuba talked of invoking the constitutional provision that allowed extension of his tenure by another six months in addition to one year extension.

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