The statutory general convention held last Bhadra had reduced the number of office bearers to 15. Now, as there are many aspirants for office bearers, Chairman Oli is preparing to increase the number of office bearers to 19 again. Since the statute mentions that the standing committee is considered as office bearers, the statute is being amended to include key leaders and young leaders as office bearers.
What you should know
The UML is set to amend the statute passed in the third week of last Bhadra. The party is set to change its organizational structure by amending the statute passed at the general convention held on Bhadra 20-22.
There is a provision that the National General Convention can also amend the statute passed by the Legislative General Convention. The general convention of a political party is considered the highest body. The Legislative General Convention had changed the organizational structure of the party. The decision to abolish the post of senior vice-president and reduce the number of office bearers and central committee was made by that general convention.
According to an official of EMAL, the National General Convention is doing homework to increase the number of office bearers and include youth. For that, the statute needs to be amended. ‘There is a preparation to amend the statute to increase the number of office bearers and include youth under the age of 40,’ the official said, ‘There was a situation during the Legislative General Convention. Now that something has changed, there is a possibility that the organizational structure may be amended.’
After about 40 leaders aspired for the office bearers of the general convention, preparations are being made to increase the number of office bearers from 15 to 19. Since the statute states that the Standing Committee is the office bearer, the number of office bearers will be increased to include key leaders. Youths under the age of 40 have become representatives of the General Convention from 165 constituencies. UML has also made preparations to include these youth in the Central Committee.
Preparations are underway to amend the statute to elect young leaders currently in the Standing Committee and Politburo as office bearers. The statute passed by the General Convention, prepared under the coordination of Vice President Bishnu Poudel, had reduced the number of office bearers to make the Central Committee more efficient. The Statutory Convention had reduced the 349-member Central Committee to 251. Similarly, the Politburo structure was abolished.
The Statutory Convention had reduced the 19-member office bearers to 15. Now, preparations are underway to increase it again to 19. The new statute provides for the election of a 251-member central committee consisting of one president, three vice presidents, one general secretary, three deputy general secretaries, and seven secretaries, and the chairmen of the provincial committees will be ex-officio members. The number of vice presidents, deputy general secretaries, and secretaries may increase as needed as the number of office bearers increases.
There is a competition between the establishment and senior vice president Ishwor Pokharel factions for the selection of the party's leadership. Since there will be two pans for the selection of leadership, the establishment faction is preparing to amend the statute and include close leaders. Oli has made preparations to amend the statute and include as many as possible, keeping in mind the possibility of moving from the establishment to the Pokharel group in the event that he is not able to become a candidate.
He is currently in the mood to continue as the president and Shankar Pakhrel as the general secretary. However, more leaders than the provisions in the statute for the general secretary, deputy general secretary, and secretary appear to be aspiring for the establishment faction. Pokharel, along with Deputy General Secretary Prithvi Subba Gurung and Pradeep Gyawali, have expressed their desire to be the General Secretary.
Gurung has already presented his claim to the General Secretary to Chairman Oli, saying that he has the ability to make the party organization organized and agile.
Another Deputy General Secretary Gyawali had given a message for promotion by running party school classes across the country. Gyawali, who is working on writing the political report to be presented by Chairman Oli at the general convention, has put forward his claim to the General Secretary position when Pokharel is going to be Oli's successor.
Oli is preparing to promote the current secretaries in the establishment, Lekhraj Bhatta, Raghubir Mahaseth, Chhabilal Bishwakarma, and Padma Aryal, to the positions of Vice President and Deputy General Secretary. Seven secretaries have to be selected from the 23 members of the Standing Committee and the 51 members of the Politburo. Regarding the fact that Oli is certain to become the Chairman and you are the General Secretary, Pokharel said that although the expectations of the cadres are the same, it will depend on the institutional decision.
‘The expectations of the cadres seem to be the same, but we are generally in favor of the belief that a team should be built to strengthen the party chairman. Because the management of the transition period and the facing of the existing challenges are already under his leadership,’ the leader said, ‘It is natural for leaders to have their expectations and aspirations. In the end, there is a common view that everyone should accept whatever the party chairman says.’
Pokharel said that even though there are many aspirants for various positions at the general convention, the General Secretary will manage easily. ‘There is a limit to the management capacity of leaders. In that sense, after the main leadership has said so, the cadres must consider it,' he said, 'It was yesterday and it is possible that a few people will be dissatisfied. That is a different matter. But I do not think that it will make such a big difference in the context of the party movement.'
He said that those who are dissatisfied due to not getting a post will be managed properly. 'Those who are dissatisfied, the party will manage them over time and put them to work. In that sense, it is not a big problem,' he said.
The general convention will last for three days
The 11th general convention, which will last for three days, will mainly focus on leadership selection. After Chairman KP Sharma Oli presents the political report and General Secretary Shankar Pokharel presents the organizational report, the leadership selection process will move forward.
Earlier, Chairman Oli said that the legislative general convention had passed the political, organizational, and statutes, and that there was no need to debate as the last central committee had analyzed and concluded on Bhadra 23 and 24. The UML general convention will be inaugurated at Sallaghari in Bhaktapur. The closed session and leadership selection will be held at Bhrikti Mandap in Kathmandu, said Rajendra Gautam, head of the publicity department.
‘The inauguration and registration of representatives will be held on Mangsir 27, the formation of the presidium, the closed session will begin on the 28th, the formation of various committees, and the work of the Election Commission will begin,’ he said. ‘After that, the political proposals presented in the meeting will be placed in the hall. The presidium will work to take the Election Commission forward.’
He said that the election process for leadership selection will begin on Mangsir 29. Election Department Chief Vijay Subba said that it has not been decided whether to use electronic machines or paper ballots in the event of an election. "The decision on whether to use electronic and paper ballots will be made after the party secretariat makes a decision," he said. Electronic machines were used to select the leadership at the 10th general convention held in Chitwan.
