Kathmandu, September 30
A clash has broken out during the regional convention of the Nepali Congress’s Morang constituency No. 6. The clash occurred over active-membership issues at the convention held in Sundarharaicha on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s agenda was to nominate candidates. But before the convention could even open, vandalism and violence broke out, and the convention fell apart.
Regional acting president Chuma Narayan Tabdar and leader Chet Raj Regmi, among other activists, were injured in the incident. They have been admitted to Nobel Medical College.
Deputy general secretary Dr Dila Sangraula was also assaulted. Earlier, the ward convention had not been held on time either due to the active-membership dispute.
Morang-6 is Dr Shekhar Koirala’s constituency. He is not participating in the Congress general convention. However, the Congress establishment faction claims that activists close to Koirala were behind the disruption of the convention.
Leader Dev Raj Tamang, close to Koirala, had earlier held the responsibility of regional president. After he failed to cooperate with the central leadership, the responsibility for holding the convention was given to former MP Tabdar.
Tamang was also present at the convention venue on Wednesday. He said dissatisfied members had caused the disruption even before the convention began, and said the claim that those responsible were close to him was false.
“There was an active-membership dispute here, and dissatisfied ward representatives created the dispute over that very issue,” he said. Asked about the claim that people close to him had carried out the attack, he said, “Those making that allegation need to prove it.”
Tension reportedly escalated at the convention venue over a dispute that arose during the distribution of active memberships and online form submissions at the ward level. According to eyewitnesses, the dispute escalated into an altercation and vandalism between leaders and activists.
Congress leader Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi said efforts are underway to calm the situation and resolve the dispute.
