The demand of 54 percent of the general convention delegates is rejected by the establishment, preparations are underway to call a special general convention despite the disagreement of the president.
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The controversy over the party general convention has reached its peak in the Nepali Congress. After it was confirmed that there will be no regular general convention, general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma are preparing to call a special general convention. The hall of Bhrikutimandap has been 'booked' for the special general convention on 27-28 Poush.
The general secretaries have informed President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka on Thursday that they will decide on the special general convention, and preparations are underway to inform them in writing on Friday. They have stated that a special general convention will be called through a press release on Saturday. Other leaders in favor of the special general convention have prepared a press conference on Friday itself.
After preparations for the special general convention were underway, President Deuba had called the general secretaries for discussions on Thursday. But he stopped the discussions at the last minute and started discussions with close leaders. Meanwhile, a meeting of the working committee has also been called for 3 pm on Friday.
The establishment side has responded that a special general convention cannot be held without an institutional decision of the party. Leader Shekhar Koirala has also said that he will not agree to a 'meeting' called without an institutional decision.
'When the Central Working Committee calls a special general convention, the entire party participates. But when only the general secretaries call it, such a meeting risks dividing the party. Therefore, I do not agree with this,' he said.
'The primary option to address the demand for a special general convention, which was signed by 54 percent of the general convention representatives and registered at the central office, was a regular general convention. However, since a situation arose where the regular general convention could not be held on time, a special general convention has once again come forward as an option,' they said in a joint statement.
The general secretaries said that the central office has the responsibility to address the demands related to the special general convention as per Article 17 (2) of the party statute. They also stated that the work under that responsibility will be carried out unanimously as far as possible. However, if the central working committee does not take a decision, they are prepared to hold a special general convention as per the demand of the majority of the general convention delegates.
54 percent of the general convention delegates had submitted a petition on 28 Asoj demanding a special general convention. According to the statute, a special general convention should be held within 3 months, i.e. by 28 Poush.
The general secretaries have reached the decision of the special general convention stating that the central office should decide if a demand for a special general convention is received and that they are free to make such a decision since the central office is under the general secretary. Article 27 (1) of the Congress statute states that ‘the central office of the Congress shall be under the general secretary, and the general secretary shall supervise and operate the central office’. Similarly, Article 17 (2) states that ‘if 40 percent of the members of the central general convention make a written request to the center stating special reasons, a special central general convention shall be called within three months of the request’.
General Secretary Sharma said that the decision to call the special general convention was reached to comply with the provisions of the statute. ‘If the country does not run according to the constitution and the oldest and most responsible party does not run according to the statute, where will our society end up?’ he told Kantipur.
Party spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat, however, says that calling a gathering in the name of a special general convention without an institutional decision risks splitting the party. ‘It is foolish to make such a decision when all parties are heading towards elections. This will not make the party stronger, but weaker. The forces that want to divide it will gain strength,' he says, 'They themselves are responsible for holding a regular general convention. We are all responsible for it. Let us all accept our weaknesses according to our respective responsibilities. Let's hold a general convention after the elections. Let's not weaken the party by saying it is special now. It would be unfortunate to do so.'
General Secretary Thapa and Sharma had been emphasizing the need to call a special general convention through the institutional decision of the Central Working Committee. Their other option was to hold a regular general convention on the specified date by holding ward and regional conventions. The general secretaries say that the decision to call a special general convention was taken after President Deuba and Acting President Khadka were not positive about all the options put forward for holding a general convention before the House of Representatives elections.
Congress leader Gururaj Ghimire says that since the special general convention is another form of the regular general convention, the special general convention will fulfill all the responsibilities that the regular convention does. ‘The special general convention changes the leadership. Along with timely structural changes, amendments to the statute as needed, policies and programs to be adopted by the Congress after the Gen-G rebellion, addresses the feelings and desires of the youth, and searches for the reasons behind the Gen-G movement,' he said.
Another leader Subash Pokharel says that if the acting president does not take the initiative for a special general convention, the general secretaries can call it. 'The responsibility to follow the statute lies with the president and acting president and everyone in the central working committee. The statute has made a provision that if 40 percent of the representatives sign and demand a special general convention, it must be called within three months. The limit is now till December 28,' he says, 'If the president and acting president are not ready, it is the responsibility of the general secretaries to follow the statute.'
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'Leaders are those who can take risks'
Kedarbhakta Mathema, former vice-chancellor, Tribhuvan University
How do you view the decision taken by the Congress general secretaries for the special general convention?
If Gagan (Thapa)'s generation or the generation below it is sidelined, the Congress will suffer a huge loss. The agenda they carry within the Congress is very correct. The party leadership should not have let their ideas die. When young people are trying to come to the leadership, it was not good to try to stop leaders with potential.
Don't you think the path taken by Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma is risky?
That risk should have been taken. It should have been taken further. They have taken it now, it is good. It may take a year, two years, but it seems that they will leave the party. Because there is nothing more powerful than time in the world. Gagan's time has also come. If the two general secretaries had not taken this step, perhaps the youth would have also scolded them. Now they should fight, not for positions, but for their principles. Now, no compromise should be made at any cost. If I were in that position, I would have fought.
Isn't the future of a leader whom everyone saw as a possibility coming to an end?
This is especially the time to implement Gagan's ideas. I won't say in others, but it has already come to the Congress. Those in leadership should have understood this. It is not beneficial for the old forces to stop or obstruct. Now it will not be stopped. It will come and come. If it doesn't come today, it will come tomorrow or the day after.
How do you see Gagan Thapa's path in the future?
New ideas should not be stopped. People who do politics and become leaders should be able to take risks. If security is the only thing sought, no one can be a leader. Not even a general, not even a leader.
Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba gave a message some time ago to leave the leadership, but he himself became active again. How do you see it?
There are many types of people around a leader. People around them depend on the leader. If something happens to the leader, they think that those around them may also go along with them. Those who have not been able to build their own credibility live by just hanging around the leader. That is why they have an interest in not letting the leader go out as much as possible.
Even if the leader wants to go out, they stop him. The same thing is happening in the Congress now. Everyone's time comes once. Right now, Gagan's time has come. Gagan also does not stay in the party forever. He is also there for a certain period of time. After that, he has to leave. This is what happens when you call it power, after going there, leaders are left stranded.
Why is it such a big issue to hold a general convention of a party whose term has ended?
From the outside, we see it as a game of chance, a game of chance. I am not even a member of the Congress. We have no interest in it. But from the outside, it seems like they are trying to play a game of chance. The people have understood this. It does not do the party any good.
