The Election Commission has directed the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) to hold its national convention and inform it within July 14. The EC has also told the RJP-N could use the date as its establishment day, confirming that the party was registered with it on July 14 last year.

The RJP-N leadership had been in confusion over the party’s establishment date. The RJP-N was formed after a six-party merger on April 20, 2017 and was endorsed by the central committee on May 2 before getting registered with the EC.

The leaders had mentioned in the statute that the party’s national convention will finalise its officer bearers within a year. But the party has already postponed its political committee meeting for four times, including the one schedule for Friday, citing its leaders’ busy schedule at the provincial assembly.

As the leadership failed to finalise the office bearers, the party decided to go with the presidium of six former chairpersons leading the party on a rota and finalise the office bearers within a year.

Sources claimed that influential leader of the party’s presidium Rajendra Mahato had written a note of dissent in the decision of party’s presidium meeting to postpone political committee meeting.

Citing Article 22(10) of the party’s statute, the poll body has directed the RJP-N to hold its national convention within a year and update it about the development.

Meanwhile in its statement on Thursday, the RJP-N coordinator Mahantha Thakur has clarified that the party would continue its support to the Lal Babu Raut’s government in Province 2. (PR)