Nepali Congress Central Committee member Gururaj Ghimire has stressed the need to hold the party’s General Convention by the end of Mangsir. Speaking at a press conference organized in Kathmandu on Sunday by the signatories demanding a Special General Convention, Ghimire said that party leadership must be changed and the convention must be held without delay.
He said that once the proposal for a Special General Convention has been registered, it cannot be dismissed or delayed under any pretext. According to him, as per the party statute, the sovereign right to demand a Special General Convention lies with the General Convention delegates, and no one has the authority to undermine, dismiss, or avoid it.
Ghimire expressed that there was still a final level of trust that the Central Working Committee would carry out its responsibilities properly. He stated, “The tenure of the Central Working Committee is defined, but the tenure of the General Convention delegates has never been defined. Changes happen as per necessity. Now, our programs will be conducted under the role of the Working Committee. After submitting this proposal, there is no room for hesitation. We still have final faith that the Central Working Committee will perform its duties well.”
The delegates demanding the Special General Convention have also submitted a five-point memorandum to draw the attention of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee. The key points include:
- As per Clause 17(2) of the party statute, the sovereign right to demand a Special General Convention lies with the General Convention delegates, and no one has the right to undermine, dismiss, or avoid it under any reason.
- The Central Working Committee elected from the 14th General Convention has lost its moral ground to lead the party after repeatedly extending its tenure despite political failures.
- A new policy and leadership must be elected through the party’s General Convention before the upcoming federal elections announced for Falgun 21.
- The Nepali Congress has a history of going to elections under a newly elected Central Working Committee formed through a General Convention, and the same principle must be followed now.
- Statements made by some Central Committee members during the ongoing meeting go against the spirit and jurisdiction of the party statute, showing an attempt to escape from responsibility.
Central Committee Has Lost Its Moral Ground: Manoj Mani Acharya
Addressing the same press conference, Nepali Congress leader and General Convention delegate Manoj Mani Acharya said that the Central Working Committee has lost its moral ground to lead the party by extending its tenure. He warned that undermining the authority of General Convention delegates and attempting to avoid the convention would not be tolerated.
Acharya also accused the Central Committee of intentionally prolonging its meeting in an unnatural manner. He said that the uncertainty surrounding the meeting indicates that the leadership is attempting to avoid the convention and extend its own tenure.
He clarified that the demand for a Special General Convention has been raised in view of the need to prepare the party with new leadership before the upcoming election. He insisted that a lawful General Convention must be held within Mangsir to elect a new leadership team.
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