Want number of Central Working Committee members reduced

Kathmandu, October 1:

Some 29 disgruntled former Nepali Congress (NC) district presidents, in a memorandum submitted to NC President and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today, demanded that the party leadership reduce the size of the party central working committee (CWC) members to 37 from the proposed 79.

The disgruntled faction this morning also expressed their dissatisfaction over the “procedure and process” adopted by the party during unification of the two parties. They argued that simply increasing the number of central members was “meaningless”.

The former presidents, who have been released of their responsibilities as the party district presidents after the unification last week by the party, have charged the party of disregarding their “seniority, loyalty and contribution” towards the party.

“Seniority, loyalty and contribution have not been considered while making the choice for district presidents,” a disgruntled former district president Jagdish Narsingh KC told this daily. KC was one to submit the memorandum to Koirala this morning at the PM’s official residence at Baluwatar.

They also warned that they would go on “fast unto death” if the party leadership did not withdraw the words “seniority, loyalty and contribution” in the party’s commitment, since the party leadership did not follow this while making selection of the party district presidents. The memorandum said: “We feel we have been dismissed in a dishonourable manner by dishonouring capable party members.”

“We challenge the party leadership to prove that we are incapable and are not committed towards the party,” KC added.

The disgruntled section of the party has also demanded the party leadership to scrap the condition of district co-president saying that they would not stick to such an “illegal” post. The party, earlier, had decided to keep those relieved from their responsibilities to the post of co-presidents.

Meanwhile, the party today in a statement clarified that the party leadership has no intention of “disregarding” the contribution of the disgruntled section of party.