KATHMANDU: The CPN-UML has called a meeting of its Secretariat, scheduled for 1 pm today (Friday). According to party insiders, statute amendments and the nomination of general convention representatives will be the key agenda items.
The party is preparing to amend its statute to expand the number of office bearers and increase the size of the central committee. At present, the statute provides for 15 office bearers. During September’s second statutory general convention held in Lalitpur, UML had reduced the number of office bearers from 19 to 15, abolished the standing committee, downsized the politburo, and trimmed the central committee from 301 to 251 members.
Chairman KP Sharma Oli is now seeking to revise the statute after a large number of leaders from his faction expressed interest in key positions. Meanwhile, the camp led by Senior Vice Chair Ishwor Pokharel, who has announced his candidacy for party Chair, is preparing to push for the reinstatement of the two-term limit if statute amendments are tabled.
Oli had previously halted a planned secretariat meeting on Monday after submitting a concept paper, as the Pokharel faction raised questions about the letter of intent. The meeting was postponed for three days and has now been called just one day before the inauguration of the 11th general convention, which begins on Saturday.
Comment