Nepali Congress on Monday decided to extend the term of its Central Working Committee and officer bearers by another six months.

The 13th General Convention of the party, scheduled to take place on September 19-22, was earlier postponed keeping in mind the urgency of the constitution drafting process.  As per the Interim Constitution, a political party should hold their general convention every five years. However, in special situations such as the promulgation of a new constitution political parties are allowed to postpone the conclave by up to six months, according to the Article 126, 4 (Kha) of the new statute.

According to party CWC member Gagan Thapa, the party will officially write to the Election Commission to extend the tenure of the CWC and other bodies.

Though the party decided to hold the general convention within six months, the meeting failed to fix a new date.

Addressing the CWC meeting, party president and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said the next CWC meeting will take a decision on the new date, once he returns from the United Nations General Assembly in New York on October 4.

Several CWC members including Bal Krishna Khand, Mahendra Yadav, Padma Narayan Chaudari and Chandra Bhandari urged the leadership to pay serious attention to hold the convention on time and with due preparations.

Senior party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba affirmed that the party will take a lead in talks with agitating parties whether it remains in the government or not.

“The meeting also called on party CA members to reach out to their respective constituencies to inform and educate the people on the positive aspects of the new constitution,” said Thapa.

The meeting also thanked President Ram Baran Yadav, Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Chandra Nembang, Constituent Assembly members, political parties, staffs at the CA Secretariat and Kathmandu-based international community, among others, for their cooperation and assistance during the constitution drafting process.

PM to resign after returning from UNGA in New York

PM Koirala has said that he will resign from his post once he returns from the 70th session of United Nations General Assembly in the US.

CWC member Bal Krishna Khand, however, said that none of the party office bearers disclosed about what sort of gentlemen’s agreement had been reached between the party and the CPN-UML regarding the issue.

“We are not informed about any pact with the UML. We have thus urged the party to take lead of the new government to be formed after the promulgation of the new constitution.” As the largest party, NC has every right to claim over leadership of the new government, he added.

PM Koirala has made requests to meet Indian PM Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jingping, US President Barack Obama,  heads of the states and governments of the Saarc region and other friendly nations, on the sidelines of the UNGA.