Reconstitute NC parliamentary board, CWEC, Paudel tells Deuba

Kathmandu, January 15

Senior leader of the Nepali Congress Ramchandra Paudel today urged Prime Minister and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba to reconstitute the party’s parliamentary board and central work execution committee, arguing that the two bodies were formed in breach of the party’s statute.

During a consultation held at the PM’s official residence, Paudel also demanded that a meeting of the party’s central working committee be called immediately to introspect the crushing defeat the NC faced in the recently-held parliamentary and provincial elections and to chart a course for the party’s revival.

“I requested PM Deuba to dissolve the two committees and reconstitute them, as they were formed breaching the party’s statute. There are many things that need to be corrected, so we can start with reconstituting these two bodies,” Paudel told THT. “I also demanded that the CWC meeting be called immediately to discuss how to take ahead the party in the post-election context.”

The PM had invited top NC leaders, including Paudel, General Secretary Shashank Koirala, Bimalendra Nidhi and Krishna Prasad Sitaula, to hold consultations on finalising candidates for the upcoming National Assembly election and naming temporary provincial headquarters, according to NC Spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma.

He said the party’s CWEC meeting would be convened in a day or two to finalise the NA election candidates.

The leaders, however, did not dwell on appointment of province chiefs, according to NC leader Nidhi. “Appointment of province chiefs is done by the government, so I hope the government is making preparations on that front.

“The PM had called today’s meeting as the party’s president. Discussion focused more on NA election and the party’s CWC meet,” Nidhi told THT.

He said possibilities of forging alliances with other parties for the NA election were also discussed during the consultation. “The party’s president has just started internal consultations on the issue and it will continue until we finalise the NA election candidates,” Nidhi said.

The PM expressed readiness to hold the CWC meeting, but added that his top priority was national issues of NA elections and paving the way for the formation of the new government, according to Nidhi.

On senior leader Paudel’s demands to reconstitute the two committees, Deuba said the two bodies were formed with Paudel’s consent, and he was forced to expand the bodies ‘to accommodate leaders recommended by Paudel’ in the panels, Nidhi added.

As per the party’s statute, the parliamentary board should have 14 members, but it has 24. The CWEC has 29 members.