The 23rd national convention of the All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary), the student wing of the CPN (Maoist Center), begins today at Tribhuvan University’s Smriti Hall. The convention, inaugurated by CPN (Maoist Center) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, will run until September 30.
The 21st national convention had elected Ranjit Tamang as president, but the 22nd convention in 2017 failed to elect a leader. Following prolonged disputes, party chairperson Dahal appointed Pancha Singh as president after inviting aspiring candidates to his residence.
Since then, the ANNFSU (Revolutionary) has been marred by internal disputes and parallel activities but is now attempting to elect its leadership through voting.
The convention, held under the slogan “Our Movement for Ending Corruption and Ensuring Good Governance: The 23rd National Convention for Employment, Production, and Socialist Education,” aims to select its leadership through elections. Most committees have already conducted elections to choose their representatives for the national convention.
Pancha Singh, the current president, announced at a press conference earlier this week that 2,323 delegates from across the country will participate in the convention.
Over a dozen aspirants for President
This time, the organisation is likely to elect its leadership through elections rather than the traditional “ticket system.” The factional politics prevalent within the party is also visible in the student wing, resulting in hundreds of aspirants for various positions.
Of the 19 vice presidents appointed after the 22nd convention, one has become a member of parliament, and another is abroad. Among the remaining 17, most, including Indra Bhusal, Naresh Regmi, Pawan Karki, Madan Bhool, and others, have shown strong interest in the presidency. Dipesh Pun, the current general secretary, is also a strong contender.
Barsa Man and Janardan face-off, Narayan Kaji and Dev Gurung also field candidates
Some presidential aspirants recently met with party chairperson Dahal at his residence, where he stated that he has no preferred candidate. However, there are suspicions that Dahal might still try to influence the selection.
Once allies in their fight against the party chairperson’s dominance, vice-chairpersons Barsa Man Pun and Janardan Sharma now find themselves on opposing sides. Previously, Dahal had used their rivalry to appoint Dev Gurung as general secretary.
Although Barsa Man and Sharma once worked together to oppose the party chair’s unilateral decisions, they now follow different paths. The student wing’s convention sees Barsaman and Janardan pitted against each other, as Dahal reportedly orchestrated.
Meanwhile, in the Bagmati province, Narayan Kaji Shrestha’s student faction has collaborated with both Barsaman and Janardan’s groups in some committees to contest elections.
Dahal’s support still uncertain
Although Dahal claimed he has no preferred candidate, party insiders suspect he might still attempt to influence the convention. The rivalry between Barsa Man, Janardan, and Narayan Kaji groups is expected to be the main focus, with Mohan Baidya Kiran faction’s Pampha Bhusal and Dev Gurung also putting forward Naresh Regmi as a candidate for the presidency.
Despite facing controversies, Dipesh Pun, supported by Barsa Man and Dahal, remains a strong candidate for the presidency.
Multiple aspirants create intense competition
The convention will elect 33 office bearers, a 243-member central committee, and officials for three commissions. While election speculation remains, many leaders believe that circumstances have changed, making the election more likely.
“Internal party struggles and elections within key committees have laid the foundation for elections in this convention,” one leader commented. However, uncertainty still looms, as no one can predict how the party chairperson might influence the process.
With numerous candidates vying for leadership positions, ANNFSU (Revolutionary) is poised for an intense and competitive convention, with the outcome expected to shape the student wing’s future direction.
