A clash broke out among Nepali Congress workers in Morang Constituency No. 6 as preparations were underway to begin the nomination process for the party’s constituency convention.
The clash took place Wednesday at the gate of the Sigdel Pratisthan in Sundar Haraicha. Party leaders said that Chum Narayan Tabadar, candidate for constituency president; Chet Raj Regmi, and other leaders and workers were injured.
The incident disrupted the nomination process for the convention.
One faction within the Nepali Congress has accused the other of orchestrating the attack, while constituency president Devraj Tamang has denied the allegation and challenged those making the allegation to provide evidence of his involvement.
The convention was scheduled to take place at Sigdel Pratisthan. Nepali Congress Joint General Secretary Dila Sangraula said that constituency president Tamang had written to the election committee requesting that the election process begin at 11 a.m., and that preparations were being made accordingly.
According to Sangraula, Tamang had also invited her to inaugurate the event. The nomination process was scheduled to begin after that.
However, Sangraula alleged that as she was arriving at the venue, some people carrying iron rods showed up and attacked Tabadar and others during the ensuing dispute.
“The convention was called by the constituency president himself. It is unfortunate that, as the election committee was preparing to begin the process based on his own request, people carrying iron rods and apparently under the influence of alcohol came and attacked everyone,” Sangraula said. “Those involved in the incident should be investigated and punished.”
She also claimed that Tabadar was pulled out of a vehicle and beaten.
“Chum Narayan Tabadar was first beaten inside the vehicle. He was then pulled out and beaten with bamboo sticks. Chet Raj Regmi and other colleagues were also attacked,” she said.
Sangraula said that five or six people were injured in the incident and that some of them were receiving treatment.
Describing the incident as a planned attack on workers who had come to participate in the 15th general convention, Sangraula demanded an investigation into whether constituency president Tamang was also involved.
“It is wrong to deliberately attack with iron rods colleagues who were coming to participate in the 15th general convention with enthusiasm,” she said. “Everyone involved in this incident must be investigated and punished. It must also be investigated whether Devraj Tamang had any involvement in carrying out the attack.”
Tamang is considered close to leader Shekhar Koirala, who is not participating in the general convention.
Tamang, however, said that he had not instructed anyone to attack anyone. He said the event had been scheduled for 9 a.m., with Joint General Secretary Sangraula expected to attend as the chief guest.
According to Tamang, Sangraula arrived somewhat late because she was a voter in the metropolitan city election. He said that as preparations were being made to begin the event, some workers raised questions over alleged irregularities in the distribution of active membership.
“We had scheduled the event for 9 a.m. Joint General Secretary Dila Sangraula was the chief guest. Since she was also a voter in the metropolitan election, she arrived somewhat late,” Tamang said. “After she and others arrived, as we were preparing to begin the event, some colleagues raised the issue of active membership.”
Tamang said that a dispute began after he was questioned over allegations that active memberships had been distributed by bypassing his authority.
“Colleagues raised the issue that the constituency president’s authority had been stripped in distributing active memberships, and that memberships had been distributed arbitrarily by overriding the authority of ward and constituency presidents,” he said. “While we were discussing that issue, tables were overturned and other incidents occurred even before the event began, leading to a fight.”
Responding to Sangraula’s allegation that the attack had been orchestrated by him, Tamang challenged her to substantiate the claim.
“If she has made an allegation, she needs to prove it. I can also make allegations against her,” Tamang said. “She arrived on a bus with people accompanying her and with escorts in front and behind. She was the chief guest of my event. She should have met the president and gone to the venue together.”
Tamang said that he had been preparing to conduct the event and was also trying to understand how the clash had started.
“I was telling everyone to gather and sit down so that we could conduct the event. At that very moment, the clash broke out,” he said. “If she knows who started the clash and why, she should also substantiate the allegation she has made.”
The Nepali Congress convention process in Morang Constituency No. 6 had already been embroiled in controversy. While ward conventions had begun in other constituencies under the 15th general convention, the ward convention in Morang-6 had been delayed because the final list of active members had not been released.
Tabadar had been given responsibility for organizing the constituency convention. Differences had persisted between constituency president Tamang and Tabadar over organization operations and the convention process.
This time, Tabadar and Jit Narayan Thapa Magar, chairman of Budhiganga Rural Municipality, have emerged as the main contenders for constituency president. According to the latest convention schedule of the Morang Congress, the process in Constituency No. 6 was proceeding later than in other constituencies.
Tabadar has announced candidacy for the post of constituency president a few days ago.
Tabadar announced his candidacy for regional president several days ago. His candidacy had been publicly announced ahead of the regional convention.
