Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Shashank Koirala has said that the party’s 14th General Convention should be held on time.

Talking to reporters in Biratnagar on Monday, Koirala said the NC should at least conduct the general convention on time if not earlier. The party’s next general convention is due in March 2020.

“There is no alternative to going for party general convention by ending factional politics. Consequently, the party suffered a humiliating defeat in the elections last year,” Koirala said.

He also said NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba could not extend his tenure by one more year.

Another NC leader and deputy Parliamentary Party leader Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar claimed that the KP Sharma Oli-led government had been unsuccessful to justify its numerical strength at the two-thirds majority. “The current government has failed to perform as per the public expectations in the past eight months. The government with a two-thirds majority has not been able to deliver what a simple majority government could have delivered,” he said, adding that there was chaotic situation in every sector of the country.

Gachhadar said criminal activities, corruption and impunity were on the rise and the government failed to maintain law and order. The NC will not remain a mute spectator if the government does anything to put the federal democratic constitution at peril, he warned. “This is the time the government should work honestly with dedication for the country and people, and the Congress is ready to play a constructive role for the same,” he added.

Poudel, Sitaula hold party hostage: Nidhi

NC Vice-president Bimalendra Nidhi has accused senior leaders Ram Chandra Poudel and Krishna Prasad Sitaula of holding the party hostage. Talking to journalists separately in Biratnagar, Nidhi said the party could not hold its meeting as senior leaders Sitaula and Poudel did not give time for the purpose. “Party has not been able to make any decision because no meeting has taken place. It wouldn’t be appropriate to hold the party hostage at a time when the party has been making preparations for Mahasamiti meeting,” Nidhi said.

In another context, Nidhi made it clear that the party’s general convention would be held according to party statute. “The general convention will be held neither early nor late but within the time stipulated in the party statute,” he said, adding, “If the party statute has a provision for extending the tenure by one year, it can happen.”