Nepalgunj, July 12:

The closed door session of the Nepal Students Union affilaited to the Nepali Congress-Democratic today kicked off, a full 34 hours behind schedule.

The delay occurred due to dispute over the number of representatives named to attend

the session and the drafting of the union’s statute. The session had been scheduled to begin at 8 am yesterday. It, however, began at 6 pm today.

Discussions started on the political proposal presented by NSU general secretary Kiran Poudel. Talking to this daily, Poudel expressed the hope that his proposal for an organisational, inclusive democracy would be accepted by the participants.

The session was supposed to start work on Tuesday and wrap things up by today. Lack of consensus on the choice of leadership and personal issues of the participants delayed the schedule, said Poudel.

Holding the session became possible only when consensus was reached at 1 pm today on

the 1,136-person list of representatives who would attend the session.

Poudel said that the election of leaders of the NSU would be held tomorrow. “Consensus still eludes us on the issue of whether to handpick the leaders or choose them by ballot.”

NSU organisation department chief Nain Singh Mahar said: “We are doing our best to bring the session to a successful close by late night. NSU vice-presidents Nrip Bista and Ramkrishna Chitrakar and co-general secretary Kalyan Gurung are vying for the post of NSU president.