Kathmandu, October 1
Nearly a dozen Nepali Congress leaders are preparing to contest for the post of general secretary at the party’s 15th General Convention, scheduled to begin on October 4.
Current and former office-bearers, as well as current and former central committee members, have expressed interest in the post as district-level conventions continue to determine the delegates who will participate in the general convention.
Some potential candidates have already publicly announced their intentions, while others have informed their close associates about plans to contest.
The party’s incumbent general secretaries, Pradeep Paudel and Gururaj Ghimire, both want to retain the position.
Paudel said he plans to contest for general secretary again.
“We are trying to transform the Nepali Congress under the leadership of party president Gagan Thapa,” he told Onlinekhabar. “I will try to present myself again for the responsibility of general secretary.”
Ghimire has also begun preparing for another term.
“I have thought about retaining my current position. It is a natural aspiration as well,” he said. “If there is an election, I will contest for general secretary. If there is consensus, I will move forward after consultation.”
Ghimire said he wanted to serve another term, recalling that reforms to the party’s internal system, evaluation mechanism, electoral and decision-making processes, as well as efforts to increase public trust in the party, had been presented as key themes during the special general convention.
Paudel had contested for general secretary at the 14th General Convention but was defeated. Ghimire had contested for the post of Koshi Province party president at the same convention and also lost.
Several office-bearers enter the race
Congress spokesperson Devraj Chalise and joint general secretaries Uday Shumsher Rana, Prakash Rasaily ‘Snehi’ and Dr Dila Sangraula are also said to be interested in the general secretary post, according to leaders close to them.
All four have told Onlinekhabar that they are aspirants for the position. At the same time, they have indicated that their final candidacies will depend on consultations with party president Thapa.
Other leaders are also preparing for the contest.
Jeevan Pariyar, who was elected joint general secretary at the 14th General Convention, has expressed his intention to contest for general secretary. Nain Singh Mahar, Ramhari Khatiwada and Aangeltu Sherpa, who recently left former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba’s faction, are also seeking the position.
“I have already served two terms as a central committee member. I have also served as joint general secretary,” Pariyar said. “This time, I will compete for general secretary.”
Mahar has been travelling to different districts as part of his preparations for the general secretary race.
Khatiwada, who is currently in his home district of Okhaldhunga for the regional convention, has also confirmed his interest.
“The regional convention is currently underway and I am in the district,” he said. “I will have a claim to an office-bearer position. I am an aspirant for general secretary.”
Sherpa, a member of the Congress Working Committee, has already announced his candidacy.
“I will contest for general secretary at the upcoming 15th General Convention,” he told Onlinekhabar.
Amar Singh Pun, president of the party’s Lumbini Province chapter, has also announced that he will contest for the post. He was unanimously selected as a general convention delegate from Rolpa on Sunday.
“I will contest for general secretary,” Pun said. “After being selected as a general convention delegate, I have already come to Kathmandu from the district and further discussions are underway.”
Pun said he wanted to work in the party’s leadership and expressed confidence that party leaders and cadres would support him. He was among the leaders involved in preparations for the special general convention held last December.
Central committee member Madhu Acharya is another aspirant. Acharya, who is also deputy head of the party’s Policy Academy, played a leading role in the special general convention.
Why is the general secretary position important?
The general secretary plays a key role in the Nepali Congress, particularly in running the party organisation, implementing policies, coordinating party activities and overseeing its day-to-day political operations.
The party statute places the central party office under the general secretary.
The general secretary is responsible for overseeing and operating the central office and implementing decisions taken by the Central General Convention, Central General Committee, Central Working Committee, Central Executive Committee and other central committees.
The post also carries responsibility for strengthening the party’s organisational structure, keeping party bodies informed about organisational activities, and implementing and supervising party decisions and programmes.
The general secretary can also, under the direction of the party president, deploy representatives or form committees and subcommittees for party-related work.
The position is responsible for presenting reports and proposals to the Central Working Committee, Central General Committee and General Convention, as well as maintaining the party’s official records.
The party statute also gives the general secretary authority to grant party membership, including active membership, in cases where an eligible individual needs to be enrolled immediately.
Could the number of general secretaries increase?
Under the Nepali Congress statute, two general secretaries are elected by the General Convention.
However, party leaders say discussions are underway about increasing the number of office-bearers, including general secretaries.
Some leaders believe the party could add another general secretary position to accommodate leaders who have recently left former president Sher Bahadur Deuba’s faction and joined the mainstream party leadership ahead of the convention.
Vice-president Bhusali confirmed that the issue of increasing the number of office-bearers is under discussion.
“There is discussion about whether to increase the number of office-bearers,” she said. “No meeting has been held yet.”
General Secretary Ghimire said a committee has been formed to draft amendments to the party statute.
“A draft amendment has been prepared regarding increasing the number of office-bearers,” he said. “We are still discussing it.”
Spokesperson Chalise also confirmed that the issue remains under discussion.
“This issue is still being discussed. Nothing has been finalised,” he said.
