After a long delay and debate, the Nepali Congress has finally decided to constitute interim structures in all 7,991 local bodies and electoral constituencies through consensus. Though the party charter clearly states that there should be elections while constituting the interim structures, a meeting of the Central Working Committee on Sunday decided to give continuity to the same old faces in all elected bodies besides seven provinces.

Party leaders say that due to time constraints and to hold the 14th General Convention on time, the meeting of the central working committee took the decision to continue the same old faces in all 7,991 wards, rural municipalities, municipalities, sub- metropolitan, metropolitan, federal and provincial constituencies.

The party is yet to take a decision on forming interim structures in seven provinces and giving continuity to the present central working committee.

Using the article 50 and 70 related to removal of the obstacles, the meeting of the central working committee has decided to restructure the interim structure, the party said in a party statement.

We have time constraints to hold elections to constitute the interim structures so we decided to remove the obstacles, said party Joint Secretary General Prakash Sharan Mahat.

“We have yet to take a decision on how to constitute the provincial committees. The upcoming meeting of the central working committee will take a decision on the matter,” he added.

Though the party has decided to give continuity to the old committees and urged all structures to find consensus, in case of consensus eludes, the party members can opt for a lucky draw.

Though there was dispute and disagreement in the party over constituting the interim structures, while taking the decision, all rival factions came together due to the urgency of the matter.

The decision was taken in the view of holding the 14th General Convention on time, said another Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh KC.

“To hold the general convention as early as possible, we agreed to constitute the interim structures based on consensus. That was the major reason behind not holding the elections. If we have decided to go for elections, it would take time and that may have pushed back the date of the 14th general convention. But we will try to hold elections while forming the provincial committees,” said KC.

With the decision, the party will complete the formation of interim structures by mid-December.

The next step for the party would be an extension of the present term and mandate of the central working committee by another year until 2021, March, in order to hold the general convention.

We have set up certain criteria for consensus, said another central working committee member, Pradip Poudel, but we have totally prohibited competition while forming the interim structures.

“On the one hand, we were running out of time to hold the elections. On the other, the establishment faction led by party President Sher Bahadur Deuba did not put much interest in holding the elections. So we have to compromise. And, Bijaya Gachhadar also supported establishment’s position and line for compromise. They have majority votes in the central working committee that made easy for them to take a decision,” said Poudel.

Gachhadar, who used to be the leader of the Nepali Congress but later formed Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum ( Loktantrik), had joined the Nepali Congress ahead of the elections in October, 2017. He is now in support of Deuba. With Gachhadar’s strength, Deuba enjoys a comfortable majority in the central working committee. The rival factions led by Ram Chandra Poudel, Shekhar Koirala, Shashank Koirala and Krishna Prasad Situala and others have been giving serious challenges to Deuba in the party who are trying to unite against Deuba.