Senior Leader of Nepali Congress (NC) Ram Chandra Paudel has slammed NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba for taking the party to the helpless state of begging with the Election Commission by not holding the 14th general convention.
The party's 14th general convention scheduled to be held from September 1-4 looks uncertain due to the dispute about active membership in districts including Bara and Saptari. He has accused Deuba, who also became prime minister (PM) last month, of not giving enough time for discussion with other top leaders to resolve the dispute.
"The party statute has set a four-year term. It was extended by a year citing abnormal situation. That was extended by six months holding on to the Constitution. Nepali Congress has been taken into a helpless situation of begging with the Election Commission by not holding the general convention even within that period," Paudel has posted on the social media. "What can be more than this epic failure and negligence of the current leadership? This is a misfortune for the country. Individuals who are a failure everywhere get to repeatedly lead the government."
Paudel has slammed Deuba amidst reports that the latter is currently consulting with the Election Commission to try to delay the general convention further. But Deuba or his faction has yet to officially confirm about the reported consultation with the Election Commission.
The party has scheduled to hold the general convention from September 1-4 but cannot delay it further. The party's legal status would end if the general convention were not held on time.
NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba, whose four-year term expired in March 2020, had given himself a one-year term extension which meant his term expired on March 3, 2021. The party had also decided to hold the next general convention from February 19-22, 2021. But it could not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
NC delayed the general convention further taking help from the Constitution which has a provision of a six-month extension for parties in special circumstances. "Provided that in case election of the office bearers could not be held within five years due to situation arising out of special circumstance, there shall be no hindrance to make provision in the statute of a political party to hold such election within a period of six months," states the provision in Article 269(4b) of the Constitution related to political parties.
The party will violate the Constitution if the general convention were to be delayed beyond September.
