KATHMANDU: CPN-UML has decided to inaugurate its 11th General Convention at the open ground near Sallaghari in Bhaktapur on December 13, shifting the event from Kathmandu’s Bhrikutimandap due to limited space and crowd-management challenges.
Party leaders said Bhrikutimandap’s narrow area and the heavy traffic flow around the venue would have made it difficult to accommodate thousands of delegates expected to attend the opening ceremony. By choosing Sallaghari, UML believes transportation disruptions will be fewer and managing large crowds will be easier.
Although the inauguration has been moved to Bhaktapur, the closed-door sessions of the General Convention will still be held at the Rastriya Sabha Griha in Kathmandu. The Secretariat led by General Secretary Shankar Pokharel will finalize the remaining logistical decisions.
Earlier, UML had planned to host the 11th General Convention in Pokhara, but the interim government’s decision restricting party Chair and then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli from leaving the Valley forced the party to shift the event to Kathmandu.
Preparations for the convention have accelerated in recent weeks. The Secretariat meeting on November 21 formed committees responsible for delegate management, mass mobilization, accommodation, food, transportation, hospitality, publicity, stage management, health services and financial oversight.
A Secretariat Committee under General Secretary Pokharel, with Prithvi Subba Gurung and Yogesh Bhattarai, has been tasked with coordinating major decisions, while an Election Coordination Committee under Vijay Subba will oversee internal electoral proceedings.
UML leaders believe holding the inauguration in Bhaktapur will create a more manageable and secure environment for the large gathering, while Kathmandu will continue to host the crucial internal sessions that will determine the party’s future leadership and organizational direction.
Comment