Kathmandu, December 20

Nepali Congress today mandated its three-member probe panel to settle disputes over active membership of the party within the next three days.

“The probe panel will take a final decision on the issue of active membership by incorporating suggestions and opinions offered during the Central Working Committee meeting.

The party president will then forward the decision to the election committee of the party,” read the party’s decision after five-day long deliberations on the issue.

Settlement of the disputes over active membership will pave the way for the party’s National General Convention scheduled to be held from March 3-6 in Kathmandu.

The panel led by Narahari Acharya comprises Ramesh Lekhak and Ram Krishna Yadav as members. Before today’s CWC meeting, a separate meeting of the party’s office bearers had decided to entrust the probe panel with taking a final decision on the disputes, according to the party sources.

The CWC meeting was divided over whether to endorse the panel’s report or to make some corrections. CWC members from Sher Bahadur Deuba’s camp were for accepting the panel’s report, while members from the Koirala camp had demanded review of some of the disputes.

During the five-day discussions, some members had suggested doing away with the system of active membership, saying the NC is mass-based party and not a cadre-based party.

Shashanka Koirala said the party should dissolve Nepali Janasamparka Samitis set up outside the country as the new constitution does not provide any political right to Non-Resident Nepalis. .

Some members, including Dhana Raj Gurung, however, said the party should retain such coordination committees as all Nepali living outside are not NRNs. He opined that the party should do away with central control over party membership.

“The right of issuing active membership should also be provided to the party’s local wings as the center cannot do justice while settling disputes related to membership,” said Gurung.

Also CWC members Arjun Narsingh KC, Narahari Acharya, Dil Bahadur Gharti, Pradip Giri, Minendra Rijal, Sujata Koirala, Shashanka Koirala, NP Saud, Jivan Bahadur Shahi, Ananda Prasad Dhungana, Ram Kumar Chaudhari, Chandra Bhandari, Jivan Pariyar, Kabita Kumari Sardar Bantar, Minakshi Jha, Sujata Pariyar, Dilli Raj Regmi, Ramesh Lekhak, Ram Krishna Yadav and invitee members Keshav Singh, Mahendra Sharma, Kalyan Kumar Gurung and Narayan Koirala expressed their opinion on the issue at today’s CWC meeting.