Nepali Congress convention: registration opens, nominations Monday, party plans more office-bearers

Registration of delegates attending the 15th national convention of the Nepali Congress has begun. Registration started Saturday afternoon at the party office in Bipinagar, Sanepa. Separate rooms have been assigned for delegates from each province. Registered delegates receive a convention bag containing the party constitution, a notebook and a pen.

The convention will be inaugurated on Sunday at Khula Manch in Kathmandu. Closed-door sessions will be held on Asoj 19 and 20, and delegates will take part in the election process on Asoj 21 and 22.

Candidates for the central working committee can submit nomination papers at the National Assembly Hall on Monday, Asoj 19, from 2 pm to 6 pm. All central convention delegates and all eligible persons may run for candidacy. A notice issued by Raju Kaduwal, member-secretary of the Central Election Committee, says the detailed election schedule will be announced later. Aspirants for president, office-bearer and central member posts continue to announce their candidacies.

Meanwhile, according to one party office-bearer, Congress is preparing to increase the number of vice-presidents, general secretaries and deputy general secretaries. The matter is being discussed in the constitution amendment committee coordinated by General Secretary Pradeep Paudel. Under the current constitution, there is one president, two vice-presidents, one general secretary and eight deputy general secretaries elected from clusters. According to these office-bearers, it has already been settled to add one vice-president and one general secretary. A proposal on this is to be taken to the closed session of the convention.