After the Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba 084 general election started the strategy of holding the party convention, the leaders started to stir. While the party leaders have been insisting that the convention should be held within November 2018 according to the law, Deuba has already expressed the opinion that it would be appropriate to hold the convention only after the election of 084 in an informal meeting. But the party constitution and constitution do not allow the congress to be moved beyond that.

In an informal meeting held on Friday at Deuba's residence, Budhanilkanth, the top leaders close to him suggested that it would be appropriate to hold a convention within a year. After that, they were worried that the party would be damaged in the 084 elections that would be held immediately after the convention. Deuba said that he would hold a convention only after the 084 election. Previously, only a few central members of the founding party held such an opinion, which was not seen as an institutional understanding. 

According to the party constitution, the four-year tenure of the Deuba-led Central Working Committee will end in November 2018. But the constitution has given the facility to add one and a half more years. Article 4 (b) of Article 269 of the Constitution states that "the constitution of a political party should provide for the election of every federal and provincial official of that party at least once in five years". In the same restrictive sentence, it is said, "But if special circumstances arise and the election of office bearers cannot be completed within 5 years, it will not be a hindrance to make provision in the constitution of the political party so that such election can be held within 6 months." Deuba, on the other hand, is arguing that the general assembly will be held only after giving reasons for the elections of the local level to be held in April 2084 and the provincial and representative assembly elections to be held in November. 

Even after the management of the active members of the party is over, the leaders say that it takes at least 6 months to reach the convention from ward to state. Even if we accept the arguments of Deuba and his party leaders that the convention should be held after the November elections, most of the leaders say that the convention cannot be held before 085. 

How can the tenure of one more year not given by the constitution and law be increased? A leader who participated in last Friday's informal meeting said, "The chairman has said that he would have united with any party." In the informal meeting at Budhanilkanth, leaders including Deputy Chairman Purna Bahadur Khadka, ex-officers Prakashman Singh, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Vimalendra Nidhi, Vijaykumar Gachdar, Shashank Koirala, Gopalman Shrestha, spokesperson Prakasharan Mahat, central members Balkrishna Khan, NP Saud participated. 

After two or more parties 'merge' or unify, it is a political practice to give more time for the convention only if the new party is registered and submitted to the Election Commission. By doing this, Congress gets recognition as a new party and not an old party. Chief Commissioner of Election Commission Dinesh Thapaliya says that there is no legal clear provision in this. "Unification or merger with a party takes time, so some time will be given. Even if such a time is given, it means that the session should be held within the time given by the constitution, there is a provision in the law that the time limit can be extended.' 

Section 54 (1) 'B' of the Political Party Act provides that if the convention is not held within five and a half years, it can be extended by six months by paying a fine. The Act states that a political party that does not hold a convention within five and a half years can be fined 50,000 for the first time and instructed to hold a convention within six months. "Even if such instructions are given, the process will proceed from not being able to participate in the election to canceling the party registration," said Thapalia. 

Congress leaders say that Deuba may want to stay at the center of power politics even after the 084 election after Deuba tried to extend his term beyond the time limit given by the constitution. Deuba cannot be the chairman in the next term as there is a rule that he cannot be the chairman for more than two terms. He has been elected president consecutively from the 13th and 14th congresses. If he remains in power politics, he will not be affected by the law. Therefore, a leader of the other party said that if he can distribute tickets in the elections to be held in November 084, Deuba will remain at the center of power politics. 

The party president has the main decisive role in the distribution of tickets for the election. MPs who are elected after distributing their own tickets are more of themselves, if their health supports them, they can become the Prime Minister again. Otherwise, he could sit outside and pull the reins of power,' said the leader, 'but this cannot be accepted.' 

Congress leader Shekhar Koirala and his supporters are the most angry about Deuba's strategy of pushing the convention. Even some leaders of the establishment party do not agree with Deuba's strategy. "Congress, which played a leading role in the creation of the constitution, should respect it. It is appropriate for the historical and democratic party Congress to move forward by respecting the constitution and the law," said NP Saud, a member of the Congress Central Committee. 

General Minister Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma have no freedom to push the convention by violating the constitution made by themselves, a party with a democratic character like Congress. They claimed that preparations are being made to hold a convention before the 084 elections. They say that they are engaged in the initial preparation of the convention as it is a matter of distribution and management of active membership.

General Minister Thapa said that it is unthinkable for a party like the Congress to go beyond the provisions of the party constitution and constitution to hold a Congress convention. "I don't believe that there has been any discussion and debate on the issues that are not even imagined by the Constitution of Nepal, the Act on Political Parties and the Constitution of the Congress," he said to Kantipur.

 Another General Minister Sharma said that a new leadership will come from the center to the local level of the party before going to the 084 general elections. He says that it is only a sense of direction for the Congress to comment on matters not contemplated by the constitution and laws. According to Sharma, preparations are being made to hold the central convention by April 083 after starting the local level convention in 082 February-Chait. "After starting the process in November 082, the convention can be held by April 084, the main thing for that is the management of active members," he said. 

Sharma also informed that where and how much active membership will be given, how to give it, and within how much time it will be managed under the coordination of another General Minister Thapa. After the announcement of the first convention, work started by forming a committee. This is not the case this time. "General disputes are ending as soon as they come," he said. 

Congress leader Shekhar Koirala says that the time has come for workers from the center to the local level to put pressure on holding the convention within time. The idea that a convention should be held after 084 is the product of a weak mentality. This leads the country to a state of chaos. This is not suitable for the Congress, which has a democratic character,' he said, 'now it is time for all the leaders and workers to put pressure on it.' "How fair is it to say that we should do nothing about the preparations for the convention now, sit idle and hold the convention after the 084 election?"

Some leaders of the founding party also disagree with Deuba's strategy of holding a convention by pushing beyond the provisions of the constitution. A former official of the founding party said, "The chairman has come saying that he will hold a convention after becoming the prime minister. That much can be considered justified. But we are not in favor of accepting the argument that the convention should be held after the 084 election.' 

According to the seven-point agreement with the UML for power cooperation, it will be Deuba's turn to become the prime minister from July 2008. Deuba is of the understanding that he cannot become the prime minister if the convention is held before that. "Since there is a trend that the party chairman in the Congress becomes the prime minister, we have tried to support them until then, but this does not mean that we should push back by holding a convention within five and a half years," said another former official of the founding party, "We will also speak when the time comes."