The Nepali Congress has expedited preparations for the party’s 13th General Convention that takes place on March 3-6 to replace its six-year-old leadership.

The Central Election Committee has appointed election officers in all the 75 districts for holding district, electoral constituency, municipality and village-level conventions of the party. The district election officers will appoint election officers of lower levels and hold the district conventions.

The NC has already decided to mobilise members of Nepal Teachers’ Union as staff for holding the conventions. Members of other professional organisations will also be deployed for conducting the conventions. About 9,000 members of the party-affiliated professional organisations are in demand to conduct the events. There are 3,165 Village Development Committees and 217 municipalities. Teachers, journalists, lawyers and professors have been selected as the support staff.

According to the party, the village-, ward- and municipality-level conventions will take place on January 29 to elect central convention representatives. Conventions of the 240 electoral constituencies will take place on February 5 while the date for district conventions has been set for February 25.

The party has already settled disputes related to active membership. Top leaders of the party—President Sushil Koirala, senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and Vice-chairman Ram Chandra Poudel—have already started their campaigns for the party presidency. Incumbent President Koirala, however, has not formally announced his bid for a second term.