The Nepali Congress deployed its central representatives to 45 districts on Tuesday with an aim to intensify the party’s campaign for the second phase of federal and provincial elections scheduled for December 7. 

The party’s Central Election Mobilisation Committee led by Bal Krishna Khand said the representatives are mandated to devise specific strategies for particular districts.

The party has deployed leaders who are candidates under the proportional representation category, direct election candidates from the districts where polling took place on Sunday and intellectuals close to the party. The NC leadership had an interaction with the intellectuals on Monday.

The Congress is also changing its strategy for the second phase of elections. In the first phase, top leaders, except for Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, had invested their time and energy in their own constituencies. Party president Deuba alone addressed the mass meetings and rallies in various constituencies. Deuba, who spent a couple of days in his Dadeldhura constituency just before the first phase of elections, is currently on a nation-wide tour.

The party has decided not to confine top leaders to their constituencies. On Tuesday, senior NC leaders addressed rallies in Kapilvastu, Rupandehi and Dang. Senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and General Secretary Shashank Koirala have been asked to visit more constituencies. At a mass meeting in Rupandehi on Tuesday, top leaders Deuba, Poudel and Koirala were present. Billionaire Binod Chaudhary, who recently joined the NC, is campaigning extensively in various districts. The party wants Chaudhary to visit as many constituencies as possible and to interact with the people there.

In the first phase, according to leaders, intra-party rift was visible in some constituencies. That is why central leaders are assigned to pay attention to resolving intra-party rift prevalent in the districts. Due to the emergence of the left alliance, intra-party differences are believed to have narrowed down in the NC compared to the situation during the local level elections. Wherever it still exists, the central representatives have been instructed to address concerns, according to Congress leaders.

The NC focuses on the Madhes, which is regarded as the oldest party’s vote bank. Congress leaders are preparing to promise constitutional amendments to address the demands of the Madhesi constituency. 

“In the past the NC tried to amend the constitution but we failed to secure a two-thirds majority [in Parliament]. We will communicate to the people that only the NC takes initiatives to amend the constitution,” said Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi.