Despite Nepal Tarun Dal, the youth organisation of the Nepali Congress, planning to finalise preparations by Wednesday to hold its fourth general convention later in the week, some central party members and youth leaders are said to be making an attempt to postpone the event once again citing internal disputes.

As Tarun Dal President Udaya Rana, including a few others, are working to hold the convention on time, others are said to be bringing up “unnecessary hurdles as a bargaining tool” to postpone it, sources said.

The general convention, postponed earlier for as many as four times, is scheduled to be held on November 12-14 in Pokhara. The party has formed a directive committee under former Tarun Dal chairman Bal Krishna Khand with Umakanta Chaudhary, Surendra Pandey, Shankar Bhandari, Ram Yadav, Hridaya Ram Thani and Sarita Prasai as its members. Khand, Bhandari and Thani are the sitting ministers.

NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba, after taking charge of the party in March, had pledged to hold the polls of sister organisations within six months. General conventions of the Nepal Students’ Union and the Nepal Women Association were completed in August and September respectively.

Sources pointed out three major stumbling blocks to holding the polls in the stipulated time. The directive committee, though pledging to conduct the polls, is engaged in activities that may delay the event. Also, leaders want members of the current central committee to take part in the election and no age limit for the voters. The party leadership had earlier announced that those in the central committees of sister organisations would not be able to run for elections. The youth organisation’s statute says those above 45 years are barred from the convention.

Third, certain quarters are deferring the polls since the establishment side is believed to have a sway over the Tarun Dal. The establishment faction had swept both the sister organisations’ polls earlier.

Tarun Dal leader Janma Jaya Timelsina noted that 68 district conventions were held and all the preparations were at the last stage. “We are working towards holding the convention on time. Hotels are booked, conclave materials are ready and talks are on to find some kind of solution for the remaining districts,” said president hopeful Timelsina.

However, leaders from rival camps warned of revolt if the convention was held without solving the disputes. “According to our records, only 60 district conventions were conducted legitimately. Bhaktapur, Kavre, Udayapur, Parsa and Bara, among others, remain untouched,” said youth leader Medini Sitaula, who is from the Ram Chandra Poudel-led camp.

“If the polls are held without following the due procedure and in a one-sided manner, we will conduct a parallel general convention at the same place,” warned Binod Kayastha, a former Tarun Dal chairman.

Despite preliminary suggestions that the polls would be contested largely between the establishment side and the Poudel faction, a third group led by Krishna Prasad Sitaula is also said to be in the play. “Despite deep factionalism in some districts, we suggest holding the polls on time by settling disputes according to the organisation’s statute,” said youth leader Narayan Prasad Bhattarai from the Sitaula camp. The Sitaula-led group had merged with the establishment side in both the NSU and NWA polls.

Factional Feud

•  Directive committee pledges to settle disputes by Wednesday
•  Poudel faction warns of parallel convention if internal issues are not settled
•  Sitaula group weighing options
•  Tarun Dal traditionally a stronghold of Deuba