Differences reign Nepali Congress as both sides stick to guns

KATHMANDU: The intra-party squabbling in the Nepali Congress (NC) seems no signs of settlement as both sides – the establishment and the disgruntled faction — have stuck to their guns.

As a result, the party leadership has been compelled to repeatedly postpone its crucial central working committee meeting.

The party postponed the meeting scheduled for today yet again.

“The central committee meeting has been called for tomorrow afternoon,” NC central office chief secretary Krishna Prasad Poudel said.

Poudel said they were compelled to postpone the meetings as some crucial issues to be discussed in the meeting need to be resolved.

The faction led by senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel has boycotted five meetings.

It should be noted that party President Sher Bahadur Deuba had on December 12 presented proposals that included increasing the number of party departments to 51 from 28, the formation of Nepal Tarun Dal, Nepal Students Union, among others to the central committee meeting for discussion.

NC spokesperson Biswo Prakash Sharma said that the two sides have been engaged in informal dialogue to narrow down the differences, and hoped that Friday’s meeting will go as scheduled.

“We are optimistic that the leaders would potentially find consensus through dialogue,” he said.

The meeting held in July this year had decided to accomplish all tasks including the integration of the bodies inside the party by November.

It had also decided to initiate the process of preparing the working schedule for the 14th general convention by mid-December, which the disgruntled groups claimed have not gained momentum.

The Poudel-led faction has been alleging the party establishment side of not sticking to its commitment to bringing the schedule for the general convention.

While the Deuba faction has been insisting to hold the general convention in March 2021, the Poudel faction has been adamant to its stance that the convention should be held in December 2020.

Earlier, the meeting of the main opposition party was scheduled for December 26 and was put off citing lack of consensus on issues such as the formation of the department, the leadership of sister organizations such as Nepal Students’ Union, Nepal Tarun Dal, and publication of the name of active members.

The central committee meeting has been postponed for several times owing to intra-party differences.