Deuwa faction makes elected local, provincial, federal representatives automatic delegates

The Sher Bahadur Deuba faction of the Nepali Congress has decided to make its elected public representatives automatic delegates to its 15th general convention.

Egraj Pokharel, coordinator of the faction's central election committee, wrote to district election officers two days ago requesting implementation of the decision. According to the letter, chiefs and deputy chiefs of rural municipalities, municipalities, sub-metropolitan cities and metropolitan cities are covered under the arrangement. Sitting members of provincial assemblies, the House of Representatives and the National Assembly will also become central convention delegates from the constituencies they represent.

The letter specifies that the arrangement applies only to public representatives currently holding office. These representatives will not need to contest elections at the ward level to become delegates.

The faction has also decided that central office-bearers and central members elected at the 14th general convention will remain automatic delegates without contesting ward-level elections. The Gagan Thapa-led Congress, by contrast, has already scrapped this system of automatic delegates.

The faction led by outgoing president Deuba is preparing to hold a separate, parallel general convention from Mangsir 21 to 23. Before that, the faction has drawn up a schedule for ward, local unit, provincial assembly and House of Representatives constituency conventions, as well as district and provincial conventions. Conventions at various levels under the faction are currently under way.