Ethnic organisations have diverged into two camps as the search for new leadership begins in the ninth general convention of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (Nefin) that kicked off in Chitwan on Saturday.

A coalition of ethnic groups loyal to UML and Nepali Congress appear to be in the driving seat for the top post, while another camp loyal to CPN (Maoist Center) and Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal looking for a major upset.

Though an autonomous and politically non-partisan organisation, Nefin holds significance for political parties due to its well-laid grass-roots network across the country and huge influence on the ethnic communities, that constitutes more than a third of total vote base.  The deepening row among parties over the key issues including federalism has made the organisation even more important at present.

The convention, which is expected to last till Monday, will elect a 13-member federal secretariat comprising a chairperson, five vice-chairpersons, a general secretary, five secretaries and a treasurer. Each of Nefin’s 56 member organisations will have a single vote in the election process.

As of Sunday morning, Surya Bhujel, Sarbadhan Rai, Sonam Sherpa and Nityananda Tajpuriya have presented themselves as the candidate for the post of chairman. Bhujel and Rai represent camp loyal to UML, while Sherpa and Tajpuriya are respectively close to CPN (Maoist Center) and SSF-N.

Nefin incumbent General Secretary Pemba Bhote, who is also a UML lawmaker in the parliament, said that UML camp would pick its chairman candidate by Sunday morning.

“We unanimously agreed to support NC candidate Jagat Baram for the position of General Secretary. NC will support our candidate for the chairman in return as per the understanding reached in the last general convention,” said Bhote. UML had supported NC candidate Nagendra Kumal, also incumbent Nefin chairman, during the eight general convention.

Leaders close to CPN (Maoist Center) said that they have a chance this time due to a large number of swing vote.  Of the 56 total votes, the UML, the UCPN (Maoist), the NC, the SDP-N and the FSP-N wield 11, 8, 8, 11 and 5 votes respectively. The other votes have not been identified.

Senior Janajati leaders including Prithvi Subba Gurung of UML, Barsha Man Pun of CPN (Maoist Center), Om Gurung and Ashok Rai of SSF-N among other are in Chitwan to lobby on behalf of their candidates.

Major parties are keenly watching this general convention the fate of the identity movement hangs on balance which parties get the leadership. Ethnic leaders said that the UML is likely to push the pro identity movement into oblivion if it gets the leadership. Ethnic organisations close to CPN (Maoist Center) and SSF-N have clarified that they will push for ethnic identity if they win.

 Nefin has not completely owned up the new constitution. Since Nefin Chairman and General Secretary were nominated as lawmakers from NC and UML, they did not take a strong position against the statute.

Nefin former chairman Om Gurung thinks that the incumbent leadership is responsible for fading pro identity movement.

“They look to serve their vested interests instead of serving the organisation and ethnic communities,” said Gurung.

 A source said that Pun is lobbying to pick Nefin leadership including chairperson through consensus by dividing plum position; leaders from other parties are not in the mood to do so.

Nefin’s internal power dynamics is likely to influence the outcome of the election result as much as the influence of political parties. Nefin has a long history of infighting between the powerful ethnic communities, popularly known as Group-8 (G-8) and excluded and marginalized ethnic communities. The G-8 consists of ethnic communities, most of them with more than 1 million population, including Tharu, Tamang, Sherpa, Rai, Gurung, Magar, Newar and Limbu. Marginalized and minority communities such as Kumal, Baram, Satar, Helmu, Rampuri, Chepang and Kusunda have accused the G-8 of dominating the Nefin leadership ever since it was formed.