Nearly a decade after its last general convention, the Nepal Student Union is preparing to hold its national jamboree in September.

The leadership of the Nepali Congress sister wing is preparing to announce the convention starting on September 19 after NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba directed the union to announce the date immediately.

NC’s Central Working Committee after its general convention had, on March 19, directed the party’s sister wings to hold convention within six months.

Due to factional disputes, the most vibrant wing of the opposition party had been unable to hold its general convention. The biennial convention has not taken place since 2005 and has been deferred six times in the last five years.

The last date of the jamboree was slated for November 16, 2014. Every time the convention was announced, a factional dispute in the mother party held it from taking place.

“We cannot afford any further delay. The Central Working Committee meeting this week will announce the date,” said Lekhnath Pokhrel, a CWC member of the union. He said the row over convention representatives had been resolved except in 11 districts and a dozen colleges including Ratna Rajya, Public Youth and Tri-Chandra.

NSU President Ranjit Karna, who is a lawmaker under the proportional representation category, faces widespread criticism for failing to hold the convention on time. The student leader blames the party for wasting their crucial leadership phase by deferring the event.