CPN-UML’s 10th General Convention begins today

CHITWAN: The 10th General Convention of the main opposition CPN-UML party will start in Chitwan with pomp and pageantry today.

The party’s inaugural session will begin with fanfare amid a grand function on the banks of the Narayani River in Chitwan in the presence of thousands of UML supporters, leaders of political parties, including those from neighboring countries.

As many as 500,000 people are expected to attend the inaugural session of the party’s jamboree.

A hall is being constructed with the sitting arrangement for representatives and volunteers for the closed sessions while arrangement for lodging and food for them is also made.

A total of 2,175 representatives — from the party’s geographic committees, sister organizations, department and liaison committees and diaspora — and 103 observers would take part in the party’s general convention.

Prime Minister and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and top leaders of different political parties are addressing the inaugural session.

Likewise, representatives of political parties from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and other countries are attending the inaugural session.

Similarly, messages of the best wishes have been received from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and other political parties from different countries, according to leader Yogesh Bhattarai.

The closed session of the convention will begin from 8:30 am onwards on November 27.

The voting process will begin at 12:00 noon on November 28 and 100 e-voting machines have been readied for the same purpose.

Meanwhile, the movement of heavy vehicles will be banned along the Butwal-Narayangadh road in view of the UML’s 10th national general convention.

This ban will be enforced from 6:00 pm today until Friday midnight, said Chief District Officer, Nawalparasi, Manmaya Bhattarai Pangeni.

A meeting of the chief of security bodies on Wednesday took a decision to this effect on the view of a traffic jam at Daunne road, she said, adding that this ban is meant to facilitate a large number of vehicles reaching the general convention site.

So arrangements have been made for vehicles including passenger buses heading to Kathmandu through Butwal to pass through Pokhara, she said.

Joint patrolling teams of all four security bodies—Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, the National Investigation Department and Nepali Army—have been mobilized during the convention, she said.