CHITWAN: The last meeting of the CPN-UML’s Central Committee (CC) that was elected from the 9th general convention is underway on the banks of the Narayani River in Chitwan late Friday.

The meeting scheduled to take place at 8 pm after the inauguration ceremony of the 10th General Convention began couple of hours late and started around 11 pm.

Leaders expect a proposal to amend the party statute in the last meeting of the CC elected from the 9th general convention.

Though the party increased the size of the CC, leaders are lobbying to select the leadership on the basis of consensus. Leaders, including General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel, Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Party Subash Nembang, Deputy General Secretary Bishnu Poudel and Shankar Pokharel, met Chairman KP Sharma Oli and stressed on the selection of the leadership through consensus.

The Central Committee will have 225 members as per the UML’s statute as amended by the Statute General Convention held on October 1-3. According to sources, Chairman Oli is positive about increasing the size of the CC.

But Oli is not ready to increase the number of office-bearers.

According to the current party statute, there will be 15 office bearers, including chairperson, senior vice-chairperson, four vice-chairpersons, general secretary, deputy general secretary and 7 secretaries.

Leaders, however, say that the leadership should be selected by consensus, even by increasing the number of office bearers to up to 21 or 23.