Kathmandu, December 15

Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal today proposed holding the party’s general convention by mid-April 2021.

Dahal put forth the proposal in his 11-page political document presented in the meeting of the party’s standing committee that kicked off today after one year.

Dahal has proposed streamlining work of the party, departments, sister organisations and all other party fronts in the run-up to the general convention.

According to NCP Standing Committee member Devendra Paudel, Dahal has also proposed running a three-month nationwide campaign for which involvement of all bodies of the party will be sought. After the three-month campaign, preparations for the general convention will begin. Dahal has proposed organising central committee meeting by mid-February which will finalise the work plan for the three-month campaign. The campaign will see gatherings, training and meetings in all 77 districts.

Dahal’s political document has attributed losses in recently-held by-elections, especially in Dharan and Bharatpur, to delay in completing party unification. He stated this had resulted in lack of coordination among party bodies. “The losses have had a negative impact on the party,” read Dahal’s political document. It also mentioned that the delay resulted in factionalism and betrayal.

To strengthen the party, Dahal has proposed extensive training on Marxism and Leninism and on the party’s strategic goal. He also stressed publication of the party’s mouthpiece.

The document adds that the party would head towards communism through its immediate programme of socialism-oriented people’s democracy, said Paudel. Dahal also proposed disciplinary action against those speaking or writing against the party as part of his proposal to strengthen unity in the party.

The NCP has, probably for the first time, made Nepal-India border-related issues part of its political agenda. Dahal’s political document states that Nepal will not tolerate encroachment of Nepali territory.

Stating that India breached the Sugauli Treaty by including the Kalapani region within its territory in the recently-published Indian political map, Dahal said the issue should be resolved through political and diplomatic channels.

On foreign relations, Dahal proposed that Nepal should adopt non-aligned foreign policy and take advantage of rapid growth of India and China. He stressed friendship with all.

The standing committee meeting also saw NCP General Secretary Bishnu Paudel presenting a proposal to amend the party’s statute. The party’s central secretariat had on December 9 decided to amend the statute, including two major provisions — goal of communism and creation of the post of deputy chairperson. The latter paves the way for appointing Bam Dev Gautam as the party’s deputy chairperson.

Earlier in the morning, the party’s central secretariat held at Baluwatar finalised five agendas for the ongoing standing committee meeting. The standing committee will convene tomorrow at 11:00am the party headquarters at Dhumbarahi to discuss Dahal’s political document, statute amendment proposal, central committee meeting and Nepal-India border issues.

“Today’s standing committee saw presentation of Dahal’s political document and Bishnu Paudel’s statute amendment proposal,” said Devendra Paudel, adding that discussion on Dahal’s document, Bishnu’s proposal and other agenda would begin tomorrow. He said the meeting would last at least two more days.

Dahal held a separate meeting with Oli on his political document in the morning. The document was also discussed in the party secretariat. Oli attended the secretariat meeting briefly as he is recovering from the appendicitis surgery.

As the standing committee meeting got under way, leaders criticised the leadership for holding the meeting after a gap of one year. Dahal assured them that the meeting would be held regularly henceforth, according to NCP standing committee member Pampha Bhusal.