Pressure is mounting on the old parties to change leadership after the Gen-G movement. But none of the parties has shown any signs of making radical internal reforms by changing leadership in line with the new political situation.

After pressure for a leadership change in the Congress, President Sher Bahadur Deuba has stepped down from active politics, giving the responsibility of acting president to Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka. But the establishment party is not yet ready to hold a general convention immediately and elect a new leadership. There is a dispute in the Congress whether to hold a general convention before the 21 Falgun elections or not. The majority of the general convention delegates have submitted their signatures to the Central Working Committee demanding a special general convention.

UML has not changed anyone's responsibilities immediately, but is holding a general convention in Pokhara on 27 – 29 Mangsir. KP Sharma Oli's desire to remain in the leadership remains. To make the path easier for Oli, the UML has already removed the 70-year age limit and the two-term limit for executive positions from the statute before the Zen – Ji movement.

The Maoists have decided to dissolve the central committee and hold a special general convention. Pushpa Kamal Dahal is the coordinator of the general convention organizing committee. He has not given up his desire to continue in the party leadership in some way or the other. The Maoists are taking initiatives for unity among the leftist parties.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is planning to decide its strategy through an extended meeting before the upcoming elections without holding a general convention. According to RSS leader Santosh Pariyar, the general convention scheduled for 7 – 9 Falgun will be affected due to the elections. Although there is no formal decision, preparations are underway to hold the general convention only after the elections.

The RSS is holding an extended meeting in Chitwan on 21 – 22 Kartik. The meeting will be attended by office bearers and members of the Central Working Committee, departmental office bearers, provincial, district and municipal heads. ‘The agenda of the Central Working Committee meeting held after the Gen – G movement was presented whether to hold an advance general convention or an extended meeting.’ Now we are busy preparing for the extended meeting,’ said Pariyar, ‘The same meeting will also decide when to hold the central general convention.’

When will the general convention be held in the Congress?

While giving the responsibility of acting president to Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka on 28 Asoj, Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba had urged to hold a regular general convention within the time frame stipulated in the statute. Acting President Khadka has been giving public statements that the party will take the decision of a regular general convention. In the Central Working Committee meeting, almost all the leaders of the establishment party have advocated a regular general convention. Other party leaders Shekhar Koirala, General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma are also in favor of a regular general convention.

Although most leaders are in favor of a regular general convention, there have been differences of opinion on when to hold it. The establishment party has not wanted to hold a general convention before the House of Representatives elections, which were declared due to technical issues that have not been completed. The establishment party wants to extend the term by at least 6 months as there is a provision in the statute to extend the term by one year. The regular four-year term of the current working committee ends in Mangsir.

The establishment party, the other party, is in favor of holding a general convention within Mangsir to address the impact and issues of the Zen – G movement. The other party leader, Koirala, is in favor of holding the 15th general convention of the party, changing the leadership from ward to center, even if it takes some time. But General Secretary Thapa is in favor of moving forward with the process of a special general convention as demanded by 54 percent of the representatives if the regular general convention is not held in Mangsir.

Congress is in favor of not holding a general convention before the establishment elections, the Maoists are also trying to postpone the general convention under the pretext of party unity, and the UML is working on holding a general convention on 27-29 Mangsir. Congress President Deuba is understood to be able to make efforts to make a president who suits him even if he is outside. According to a leader close to him, he is weighing the power struggle between Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka, leader Shekhar Koirala and General Secretary Gagan Thapa for that. He is likely to put forward one of Khadka and Koirala. Despite being over 70 years old, Koirala has not yet become a party official, nor has he been in the government.

Zen – Before the Ji movement, seven former office bearers had been pressuring Deuba from an informal level to make one of them their successor. The former office bearers were Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Prakashman Singh, Bimalendra Nidhi, Vijay Kumar Gachheddar, Shashank Koirala, Gopalman Shrestha and Prakasharan Mahat. Although they could not take the leadership of the government and the party, they have been tested on both fronts except Shashank. Shashank has not joined the government even though he has become a party office bearer.

Zen – The seven former office bearers do not have the same opinion on the dissolution of the House of Representatives and elections after the Ji movement. Most of them, including Nidhi, are in favor of elections. Sitaula has been advocating for the restoration of the House of Representatives. Shrestha has increased his inclination towards the monarchy by saying that the Congress should talk to the power including the former king in a press conference a few days ago. Leaders say that they are worried that if the party leadership reaches the generation of Gagan Thapa after the general convention before the election, their relevance will be in danger. They are also concerned that the role in ticket distribution will be weakened if the general convention is held before the election.

Shyam Ghimire, a central member of the establishment party, says that the problem should be solved through a middle-of-the-road option. He says that the current dispute should be resolved even if it is by bringing a schedule to hold the general convention in Mangsir itself. ‘We should make decisions now, not by keeping ourselves at the center.’ We cannot move forward by ignoring the signatures of 54 percent of the general convention delegates,’ says Ghimire, ‘The solution that will ensure victory for both parties is a general convention within Mangsir.’

Leaders in favor of a special general convention accuse the leaders of trying to stop the regular general convention in Mangsir, keeping their political future at the center. They say that it does not mean that the UML can hold a general convention on the eve of the election but the Congress cannot.

Leader Devraj Chalise says that the central working committee meeting should take a decision to move forward with one of the regular or special general conventions in Mangsir itself. ‘If people who have reached responsible levels look at their political future and go for ego and stubbornness, it will not benefit the party. We need both 54 and 46 percent. The agenda and ideas may be different. However, we should understand that all this is for party reform. It is not right to consider party reform as opposition,’ he says, ‘Should we think about our political future or the party? If we think about it with the party at the center, the dispute will be resolved.’

Even regarding the distribution and renewal of active membership in the Congress, the establishment party is of the opinion that the general convention cannot be held in Mangsir. There are about 9 lakh active members in the Congress. No new membership has been distributed after the 14th general convention. Representatives of regional conventions are elected from active membership. The same representatives select the representatives of the general convention. Since the distribution of active membership can determine who will be the central president, the main interest of the leaders is linked to this.

As soon as new membership is distributed, disputes can arise in the district – district. Not only for the center, but also for taking the leadership of the province, district and region, there is a competition from the bottom to increase the membership to suit themselves. There is a practice of forming a separate committee at the center to resolve the disputes that arise. Such a committee has not been formed. The establishment party is arguing that it is impossible to hold the general convention before Baisakh, saying that it will take about 6 months to distribute active membership and resolve the dispute.

General Secretary Thapa claims that the membership can be opened for some time for the representation of Zen – Ji and it can be concluded within two weeks. A few days ago, he had made public a proposal with two options to hold a regular general convention on the upcoming 27 – 29 Mangsir. One is the proposal to hold the 15th general convention by holding a session of the entire lower committee, while the other is the proposal to hold a central general convention after the ward, regional and public relations committee sessions. He is of the opinion that if the central working committee does not decide on a regular general convention, a special general convention should be held on the same date.

Delay in fixing the date of the general convention in the Maoists

The Maoists' central committee meeting held on 10 Asoj had decided to hold a special general convention in the last week of Mangsir. The central secretariat was supposed to fix the date of the general convention by making a procedure. But the secretariat meeting has not been held. The secretariat meeting has been postponed twice before Tihar.

Maoist spokesperson Agni Prasad Sapkota said that the decision on the general convention was delayed because the Unified Socialists were doing homework on unity. Another Maoist leader informed that after the unification of the two parties, a unity general convention would be held instead of a special general convention. The leader said that an understanding has been reached on political and theoretical issues, but an understanding is yet to be reached on how to form the organizational structure. ‘After the unity, it is yet to be decided whether Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal will be the coordinators of the general convention organizing committee or whether there will be only one person,’ he said. There is a proposal to name the unified party ‘NCP (Socialist)’.

According to another Maoist leader, although it was previously decided to hold a special general convention in the last week of Mangsir, there is a possibility that the general convention will be delayed due to the delay in setting the date. ‘The date of the general convention has not been set for a month after the decision. The method of selecting the general convention has not been formulated,’ the official said, ‘There is a possibility that there will not be enough time to hold the general convention in the last week of Mangsir.’

Maoist leaders Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Janardan Sharma have been demanding that the general convention be held at the appointed time. ‘Despite being told to hold a general convention, Prachanda is trying to postpone it.’ He has been postponing the central secretariat meeting,’ leader Sharma has been telling his close associates, ‘The general convention cannot be postponed on the pretext of party unity with the socialists.’

UML in preparation for the general convention

UML is busy preparing for the 11th general convention. Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali informed that the central secretariat will be held on 15 Kartik to prepare for the general convention. ‘The organization department is taking details of the membership.’ Homework is being done on the ratio of general convention representatives,’ he said, ‘The secretariat will formulate a method related to general convention representatives.’ Along with that, the preparation of political and organizational reports will move forward together.’

UML has concluded that the latest political situation can be resolved only by deciding the leadership and program from the general convention. ‘We have moved forward with the belief that the current situation can only be addressed by strengthening the party internally,’ said Deputy General Secretary Gyawali.