After several deferrals, the 23rd general convention of the All Nepal National Independent Students' Union (Revolutionary) commenced in Kathmandu on September 26.

The convention, which was scheduled to conclude on Monday by electing a new leadership, was suspended on Wednesday following a dispute over the selection of the convention's representatives.

“As it was not possible to conclude the election process earlier, the ongoing convention has been suspended for an indefinite period,” reads a statement issued by the collegium of presidents.

As many as 2,323 representatives were picked for the national gathering.

However, a section of the leaders raised questions over the legality of around 70 representatives, most of whom are enrolled to the institutions under the Council for Vocational Education and Training. The dissident group has been saying they were handpicked without fulfilling the due selection process.

The differences escalated to the extent that the representatives smashed the furniture at the Kirtipur venue of the convention twice as they clashed. A group of student leaders, taking cue from Tukman Mahara, the son of Jokh Bahadur Mahara, former Lumbini chief minister, even brandished a khukuri. A large number of police personnel were deployed at the Tribhuvan University campus to contain the protest.

Right from the commencement of the conference, there were strong voices for an age limit for the student leaders. But not everyone agreed to that. Without consensus, the issue was to be decided through voting. However, the voting didn’t take place due to the lack of agreement over the representatives.

“The voting couldn’t happen without agreeing on the number of representatives,” said Naresh Regmi, outgoing vice-chairperson of the student wing of the CPN (Maoist Centre).

A meeting of the Maoist Centre’s office bearers was called on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the trouble in the student union. However, the meeting didn’t make any decision.

Some Maoist leaders criticised the dispute within the union. “It seems the organisational culture, practices, and values have completely collapsed, and consumerism, power and wealth have taken over,” said Lekhnath Neuapane, a former union chief.

Like in the party, the Maoist Centre has a history of handpicking the leadership of the sister wings, including the student union. Outgoing chairperson Pancha Singh was picked by the party's top leadership, as were her predecessors.

However, the student leaders had claimed the tradition would be broken by electing the leadership through voting.

Along with Regmi, the other outgoing vice-chairpersons Keshab Rawal and Pawan Karki, and the outgoing general secretary Dipesh Pun are the aspirants for the top position.

Pun, the son of former Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, has been linked to gold smuggling and cooperatives scams. Regmi, who has an image of a studious leader, is among the top contenders for the position. He also won an award from the Kantipur Publications for securing the highest marks in journalism at the bachelor's level in 2011. Karki is considered close to the Narayan Kaji Shrestha faction of the party.

“I am ashamed that the general convention has been suspended without accomplishing its task,” Rawal said.