Intelligentsia close to the Nepali Congress (NC) has advised the party leadership to adopt discretion while picking candidates for the upcoming local level elections slated for May 14.  The party has also been advised to pick candidates with clean image by avoiding nepotism.

At a programme organised in the Capital on Wednesday to prepare the party’s election manifesto, representatives of professional organisations have suggested that the party should pick unanimous candidates to end factionalism at local level.

During the programme organised at party central office in Sanepa, Lalitpur, by NC manifesto drafting committee under central committee member Mahesh Acharya, top leaders of the party, representatives of democratic professional organisation, former bureaucrats, National Planning Commission office bearers, professors, journalists and attorneys offered written and verbal suggestions.

Most of the speakers had suggested drafting manifesto at the local level by incorporating local issues.

The party was advised that the people should be made aware about the key role of NC in every major political change in the country’s history and the impact of the party’s policy of liberal economy and socialism in the development of economic, social, infrastructure, and education, among other sectors.

The government is going to hold elections in 744 local units across the country on May 14. A total of 36,639 representatives will be elected from the elections, while the ward level should ensure at least 40 percent representations of women.

On the occasion, NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba said that his party has a bigger challenge as the largest political party and the current political complications. He stressed that it is essential for the NC to win the election to safeguard democracy.

NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel hailed the important suggestions furnished by the professional intelligentsia for the party’s working guidelines. He said that the suggestions would be incorporated in the party’s manifesto.

The committee will prepare a preliminary draft of the manifesto by mid-March and finalise the draft within the third week of March after holding consultations with experts. Unlike the parliamentary elections, the party manifesto will be drafted so as address the issues of local level.