The Congress is currently embroiled in conflict after the establishment did not call a special general convention despite a demand signed by 54 percent of the general convention delegates. The second special general convention is starting from Sunday under the initiative of the general secretaries. However, the president and leaders supporting him have challenged its legitimacy.

 The question is what the special general convention will do and what will be the role of the leaders of the chairman's party. In this context, former vice-president Bimalendra Nidhi spoke to Kantipur for Kulchandra Neupane and Rajesh Mishra :

The Congress seems to be in a precarious situation. How did this situation come about?

The general secretaries called for a signature campaign to call a special general convention. Then they are determined to organize a special general convention. That is why the precarious situation has come about. After the political accident of 23 and 24 Bhadra, a precarious situation has come before the country. Then it was brought about for the party. The organization of the special general convention was apolitical and irrelevant. This is not according to the party's statute.

It is also not according to the decision of the Central Working Committee. The schedule for the regular general convention has come for the second time. First, the date was brought in Poush. Now it is scheduled for 28-31 Baisakh 2083. The Central Working Committee has already decided the schedule for the regular general convention. Despite that, they have insisted that a special general convention must be held. That has created an awkward situation in the party. I see the two general secretaries as the most responsible for this. It is because of them that the awkward situation has been created within the party.

The provision for a special general convention is in the party's statute. How is calling it apolitical or against the statute?

It is apolitical. It is not a big deal for an official of any party organization to aspire to lead the entire party. It is normal. However, there is a process for that. Some methods and procedures are prescribed for its selection. Without following that, no one can say, "I should be," or "I will declare myself." That is apolitical behavior.

How was the demand for a special general convention and the process for calling it not in accordance with the statute?

Article 17 (2) of the statute states that if 40 percent of the general convention delegates demand a special general convention, it must be held within three months. I accept that. But that is not enough. In the letter registered at the central office for the special general convention, a regular general convention or a special general convention has been demanded. Not only a special general convention has been demanded. It seems that they wrote regular general convention when registering the letter. They typed that. Later, when registering it, they suddenly remembered and added the word 'arrow' above. What this shows is that a special general convention is not their only demand. It is with alternatives.

After the Central Working Committee meeting on 15 Mangsir unanimously decided to hold a regular general convention, the rationale for a special general convention has ended. Even though a regular general convention was scheduled for Poush, it was not possible. That is why the agenda has been amended. That is the legal and political way. The kind of political situation that has arisen in the country. An election to the House of Representatives is inevitable to resolve it.

The election scheduled for 21 Falgun must be successfully completed. That is the most politically necessary issue. The formation of a legitimate government through the election is the most important political matter. All other issues are apolitical. A democratic party like the Congress should pay the most attention to the elections right now. They should be able to spend time and energy on the elections. That is a political task. Not going for it is apolitical.

Another thing is that although the statute says to hold a special general convention, it does not say what the procedure will be, what the agenda will be, what issues will be discussed. The right to make that decision lies with the Central Working Committee. They are talking about changing the policy, leadership, and the working committee. The general convention has been scheduled for Baisakh for that task. When will the leadership change? When will the working committee election be held? The Central Working Committee has already said that those issues will be decided through the regular general convention.

Leadership is the president. According to the Congress statute, the party leader and the leadership are the president. Although people at all levels are called leaders in colloquial language, the Congress statute does not call the vice president or general secretary or central member a leader, but only the president. A change in leadership means a change in the president. Currently, Sher Bahadur Deuba is the President. His change is a matter of concern. That is, it is done through the process of the General Convention.

The time has been fixed for the General Convention in Baisakh. He is not allowed to run for the presidency in the 15th General Convention. Therefore, the change of leader is not as difficult in our party as in other parties. It is an easy matter. The door is open for a change of leadership. The procedures are available. That is why the work that is being tried to be forced now is not legal. It is not even procedural. This special General Convention does not fall under the work, duties and authority of the General Secretaries. The Central Office is under the General Secretaries. However, the General Secretaries do not have the authority to call and conduct the General Convention. This authority belongs only to the Central Working Committee. Therefore, it is illegal, apolitical and also against the procedure.

You are talking about holding the General Convention in Baisakh and changing the leadership through it. However, the general secretaries are saying that the party leadership should be changed before the elections in accordance with the spirit of the 23rd and 24th Bhadra movements and that the party will benefit in the elections only if it takes on new leadership?

The election to the House of Representatives is a matter of national concern. It is necessary to bring national politics, the constitution and the democratic republic on track through the elections. That is why we have been saying from the beginning that we should give top priority to the elections. There should be no convention before the elections. We have said that repeatedly in the Central Committee. Sher Bahadurji has already appointed an acting president.

The party is still the same. We have been saying that we should participate in all elections. Let us make the party victorious in the elections. Elections are necessary to make the damaged constitution completely healthy. We have been saying that we should not spend the party's time and energy elsewhere before the elections. The process of changing the party leadership and another person becoming the president is not obstructed. Therefore, we do not agree with their statement. That is not a mature idea. It is not a legitimate idea.

The election cannot be held under the leadership of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba. They say that it is not beneficial, right?

That is an immature thing. Moreover, we are not under his leadership now. Leadership does not determine profit or loss, it is determined by the party's ideas and processes. Elections cannot be won by the name or face of one person. That is not possible now. The overall party and ideology play a role. Voter trends and interests will be decisive. It will be decided according to what the voters of Janakpur, Biratnagar, Dadeldhura or Surkhet are interested in. It will not be decided by the name of one person. Regardless of age, gender or community, one person will not make a difference. Voters exercise their rights according to their interests. That is what determines it.

Some say that this situation has arisen in the Congress because some leaders, including you, have been continuously opposing the special general convention, right?

We are talking according to the statute. We are responsible in the party. That is why we have raised matters according to the statute. We adopt politically correct processes and mature practices.

Can former office bearers dominate the party's decisions over current office bearers?

The current office bearers were not dutiful. They did not act in accordance with the statute. The statute does not give the general secretaries the right to lead the party. The work, duties, and rights of the general secretaries are to work as per the instructions given by the president. To assist the president. It is written in the statute. It is their responsibility to assist the president in daily operations. Apart from that, they are to implement and carry out the decisions of the Central Committee, the decisions of the General Committee, and the decisions of the General Convention. The job of the general secretary is not to provide leadership. Therefore, the general secretaries have not performed their responsibilities. They should act according to the decisions of the Central Committee and the instructions of the president.

Representatives from all over the country have come to Kathmandu for the special general convention. On the other hand, the establishment party has decided on a separate program for the party. What is the solution in this situation?

There is only one solution - the general secretaries should follow the decisions of the Central Committee and go. The so-called special general convention should be announced to be postponed. They should say that everyone will be involved in the 21 Falgun elections and then we will resolve the internal issues of the party.

It is said that 54 percent of the delegates signed to call a special general convention. Can the party reject it and go ahead?

What is the basis for saying that it is 54 percent? Has it been identified? I do not believe that 54 percent signed. To my knowledge, that signature is not even 40 percent. That is why it should have been identified. There is no time for that now. That is why it will be held after the election.

What if more than 50 percent of the delegates are present at the special general convention and a decision is made by a majority?

Attendance does not mean that a majority is made by gathering a crowd of people outside the general convention delegates. Gathering people is one thing. However, not even 40 percent of the general convention delegates gather there.

According to the statute, why did the central committee not call a special general convention within three months after the demand for a special general convention was made?

When the central committee said not to call it, it did not call it. The right to call or not to call belongs to the central committee.

But the statute has made a mandatory provision that it must be called within three months. Can the central committee ignore the statute and go ahead?

That's right, it didn't call. There is no compulsion. It will be called after all the formalities have been met. The formalities had not been met. Just saying that 40 percent signed is not enough. There should have been an agenda as well. The central committee should have taken a decision. The central committee has not taken a decision. It will not happen after registration. Even though it has the authority, it was not recognized because the formalities had not been met.

All parties are heading for the elections. At such a time, won't the dispute over the authority of the Congress get entangled in the commission?

We are also preparing for the nomination of candidates and the elections. I urge my friends across the country not to get involved in this mess and not to get caught up in political conflict. With great sadness, I must say that this is a campaign to weaken the party and democracy. I appeal to my friends not to get involved in this and not to go ahead with the elections.

Will the party take disciplinary action against those who call the special general convention and those involved in it?