Valley
Maoist Centre’s preparations in full swing
The ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) has involved its organisation in the Kathmandu valley in preparation for the May 14 local level elections.The ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) has involved its organisation in the Kathmandu valley in preparation for the May 14 local level elections.
In Kathmandu district, the ruling party has already completed its ward and municipal conferences. The conferences of committees at the metropolis and districts would be held after the local polls.
According to Lekhnath Neupane, in charge of the Kathmandu district committee of the party, selection of candidates for 138 wards of 10 municipalities and one metropolis in Kathmandu district is in final stage.
The ward committees would select one candidate in consensus but provide three names to the district committee along with the minutes of the decision in case consensus remains elusive. The district committee would select all the candidates within April 7, to be endorsed in the involvement of the Provincial Committee by April 9.
The district committee has also directed all the ward committees to establish their respective offices at central locations for resource mobilisation for the polls.
Neupane said the popularity of candidates and their loyalty to the party would be prioritised while deciding on the candidates but independent leftists could also be considered. The party committees are also busy drafting their “commitment papers” separately for every municipality and metropolis.
The party, however, would organise mass meetings only after finalising the candidates. In Bhaktapur, district in-charge DP Dhakal said the Maoists have formed a 1,500-member election mobilisation committee under the leadership of politburo member Devendra Shrestha. The party has already held the party conferences in 30 wards out of the 38 in four municipalities of the district. Selection of candidates would be finalised by April 10, after which the party would begin a door-to-door campaign.
Dhakal said the party would also deploy hundreds of campaigners for the local level polls. Currently, the Maoist district committee is busy drafting separate manifestos for four municipalities. The papers would be finalised after seeking suggestions from the locals.
In Lalitpur, ward conferences were completed in 24 out of the 29 units of the Lalitpur Metropolitan City. In-charge of Lalitpur Metro Committee Dipesh Maharjan said candidate selection would begin on Wednesday after completing the conferences in the remaining four wards.