KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba, while holding the party leadership for the second time last December, had committed not to discriminate against leaders and cadres.

He also said that everyone in the party should be treated equally. However, he has not been able to keep his words even after six months of the commencement of his presidential tenure for the second time.

NC President Deuba, who could not even choose the party treasurer, has not been able to form the departments that should have been formed within six months, as per the provisions of the party statute.

Most of the sister organizations are under ad hoc leadership. However, Deuba, who sees a five-party alliance as essential for power and elections, has not been able to reconcile rival Shekhar Koirala within his own party.

Political critics remark that Prime Minister Deuba is moving forward not in ignorance but showing indifference towards the provisions and the warning voices of other leaders.

Khabarhub’s Dheeraj Basnet approached NC leader Dila Sangraula to know more about the ruling party’s intra-party politics and the plans ahead. Excerpts:

How do you evaluate the working style of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba in the past and now in terms of a party leader?

With this six-month tenure, Nepali Congress has also reached the leadership of the government. Party President Deuba has dual responsibility. Parliament is running smoothly. Important bills have come. The government has brought a people-centric budget.

The party constitution should have been formed within six months after the general convention. Why has it not been formed yet?

It is due to the double responsibility the party has to play, one in the parliament, the government and the party committees.

The party organized general convention for the party leadership, however, the party statute/constitution convention has not been organized.

There was no talk of how to take the party forward organizationally. The local-level elections are over. But, it is not complete. All these things must be completed within the stipulated time. Preparations are underway for a meeting of the working committee.

 NC President Deuba had said that his second tenure as the party head would be different from the previous one. Have there been any changes?

There has been a lot of transformation within the party. The party has changed. Now, all departments should be completed soon. All fraternal organizations should be formed as per the party constitution. We are also mounting pressure on the leadership to fulfill our responsibilities.

NC General Convention chose the leadership, but it did not prepare any guidelines or vision regarding the party’s policy supposed to guide the leadership. Does not it make the party leadership sail in the dark?

We have also stated that whoever is elected in the party leadership has to enforce their vision through their policy. The policy is needed to unravel everything.

The party cannot move forward without policy. Therefore, it was agreed to hold a policy convention within six months after the general convention.

There has been no meeting of the Central Committee and no review of the performance at the local level. This issue has been raised by all of us, as party cadres.

Looking at all the current activities of the Nepali Congress, does it not seem that the party has gone back to the old trends again?

It’s been 6 months. It is time to test everything. Some issues are related to us and some others with the party president.

A meeting of the Central Committee should be held to complete everything. It should decide on the policy convention.

The sister organizations have to be vitalized, they should be complete soon. All preparations have been made for that, the meeting is yet to be held.

A few days ago, the House of Representatives meeting was postponed due to a lack of quorum. Why are the lawmakers so careless?

It was a sad incident. However, lawmakers have some other responsibilities as well. When many of them happen to be a way to fulfill some other responsibilities, sometimes, such a situation might surface.

However, the situation did not last long. There were enough people after some time and the bills were discussed and passed.

 Isn’t Parliament the first responsibility of a lawmaker?

Since all the work is done in Singha Durbar, it takes time to go there and come here to New Baneshwor. Many of them do not know when others are going and happen to go out at the same time. Yet, I agree, that one should give top priority to the parliament.

Many people come to visit the lawmakers, when they (the people) seek facilitation from their elected representatives, obviously, the lawmakers have to give time to them as well. However, one has to take care of the parliament meetings. The shortcoming, the weakness needs to be rectified soon.

There are allegations that the lawmakers are concerned merely about the allowance and neglect their duties?

In the case of Nepal, such allegations are known. Members of parliaments here do not have many facilities compared to those same in other countries.

Other services have been provided in other countries. The allowance is not even Rs 1000. We have to travel a lot, however, the public does not understand it.

When you go to ask for votes, you say you will make laws? Have you been keeping your words?

Yes, we say we will make laws. However, the people expect few other tasks ranging from construction of the roads, blacktopping, library building, and drinking water to health issues.

We are elected as lawmakers, yet we have to be social as well. We should strive our best to be social without hampering parliament-related affairs.