KATHMANDU, Nov 26: Nepali Congress (NC) youth leader Shankar Tiwari has challenged the party President Sher Bahadur Deuba, saying that if he intends to extend his tenure, he should seek a fresh mandate by contesting again for the party presidency through a special general convention.
Speaking at an interaction program organised by the Reporters Club in the capital on Tuesday, Tiwari said Deuba cannot bypass internal party processes while continuing to lead the organisation. He argued that since the party statute does not count a special convention as a regular general convention, Deuba would need to secure renewed legitimacy if he wishes to remain in charge, particularly at a time when the party establishment is lobbying hard to postpone the General Convention until after the March 5 House of Representatives (HoR) elections.
NC establishment to call separate youth gathering counter speci...
Expressing dismay that a “new generation of youths” is now compelled to remind Deuba’s generation about democratic norms, Tiwari warned the leadership against dismissing the signatures of 54 percent of party members demanding a special convention. It has already been six weeks since, for the first time in the party’s history, 55 percent of NC members formally submitted signatures calling for a special convention. Under the party statute, once signatures are registered, the leadership is required to convene the meeting within three months.
Internal tensions have further escalated after President Deuba, despite handing over responsibilities to Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka while leaving for overseas medical treatment on October 14 used his own signature during the party’s registration at the Election Commission. Critics say the move exposes the leadership’s intent to retain full control of the party ahead of the upcoming polls.
The NC Central Working Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday to decide whether to call a special convention or proceed with a regular general convention—and whether the upcoming national election will be fought under the old leadership or a newly elected one.
