55 percent of the general convention delegates from Madhesh Province have already signed in favor of the special general convention.
What you should know
While the debate in the Congress over whether to hold a special or regular general convention is raging, the majority of the general convention delegates from Madhesh Province are in favor of a special general convention. 55 percent of the general convention delegates from Madhesh Province have already signed in favor of a special general convention. They are preparing to leave for Kathmandu on a night bus on Poush 26.
While the two general secretaries of the Congress, Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma, have taken all the steps to hold a special general convention, Thapa-Sharma supporters are still working hard to add more general convention representatives in Madhesh Province. Out of 823 general convention representatives in 8 districts of Madhesh Province, 416 have already signed in favor of the special general convention. Thapa-supporting leaders claim that the signatures are being added.
According to Birendra Singh, the vice-president of the Madhesh Congress Committee, who supports General Secretary Thapa, discussions and talks are underway to attract general convention representatives in favor of the special general convention. ‘We are going to Kathmandu on Poush 26 to participate in the special general convention,’ said Singh, vice-president of the Congress Madhesh Committee. ‘We are also urging and informing the general convention representatives who have not signed to go to Kathmandu. The number will continue to increase, not decrease.'
Out of 103 general convention delegates from Sarlahi district, where Congress Madhesh Vice President Singh is the general convention representative, 70 have signed in favor of the special general convention. Out of 100 general convention delegates in Parsa, 40 have stood in favor of the special general convention. General Secretary Thapa's supporter leader Surendra Chaudhary said that 5-7 more general convention delegates will be added in favor of the special general convention. However, Parsa leader Ramesh Pandey, who is in favor of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba's faction, claimed that only 14-15 people from Parsa are in favor of the special general convention as many of those who signed in favor of the special general convention have withdrawn.
In Bara too, 63 out of 104 general convention delegates have signed in favor of the special general convention. In Rautahat, only 21 out of 110 general convention delegates have signed in favor of the special general convention. Rautahat is the home district of Madhesh Pradesh Congress Committee President and Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav. Yadav is close to Deuba. Out of 105 general convention delegates in Mahottari, 54 have signed in favor of a special general convention. According to Mahottari leader Poshan Thapa, who is close to General Secretary Thapa, the number will increase as six more general convention delegates are in contact.
Similarly, in Dhanusha, out of 100 general convention delegates, 23 have stood in favor of a special general convention. Dhanusha is the home district of leader Bimalendra Nidhi, who is close to Deuba. Jibanath Chaudhary, who became a general convention delegate from Dhanusha constituency number 3, said that he is also in favor of a special general convention. ‘I and other friends are yet to sign. Therefore, the number will also increase in Dhanusha,’ Chaudhary said, ‘10-15 general convention delegates will be added in Dhanusha.’ According to him, they have become in favor of a special general convention for a new leadership against the arbitrariness and hegemony of old and top leaders in the Congress.
‘Only a limited number of leaders and their families have been getting opportunities in the Congress,’ said Chaudhary, ‘For years, dedicated cadres have not been getting opportunities. A special general convention should be held as the new leadership will take a new direction and policy for the Congress.’
Dhirendra Mohan Jha, a general convention representative from Dhanusha, said that the turn of the youth leadership has come in the Congress in accordance with the spirit and essence of the Gen-G movement held on Bhadra 23. ‘How long will the rule of one person always last in the Congress? Only a limited number of leaders ruled for a long time,’ he said, ‘Congressmen from Madhesh are in favor of a change in leadership in the party.’
Meanwhile, 76 out of 101 general convention delegates in Siraha district have signed in favor of a special general convention. Saptari Congress Secretary Sanat Mandal informed that 69 out of 100 general convention delegates in Saptari are in favor of a special general convention.
In the previous general convention, Madhesh Province, which was the stronghold of party president Deuba, had a majority of general convention delegates in his favor due to General Secretary Thapa's extensive campaigning and connections.
