The Nepali Congress statute says that six months after the party's general convention, it should elect the heads of various party departments along with its members.

The Congress held its 14th general convention in Kathmandu in December 2021.

Almost two and a half years after the party's general convention, Sher Bahadur Deuba, the party president, appointed the heads of 37 departments on August 5. Deuba also appointed 17 department heads last year. The party has yet to name 16 heads, including those of organisational, foreign affairs, and public relations departments.

The Congress must hold its next general convention by the end of 2025, as per the party statute. However, it can be deferred by a few months citing special reasons. If the party is to hold its general convention on time, that should be done within over a year from now. But the party has also not appointed some office-bearers, let alone the departmental heads and its members, Congress leaders say.

The treasurer remains to be appointed. The largest party in the House of Representatives has 70 departments. During last year's central committee meeting, the party increased its department count from 48 to 70.

Though the party president appointed the various department heads, the leadership still needs to finalise the members of those departments. The party statute provides for each department to appoint 51 members.

According to the party leader, the department head has the right to appoint ten members, whereas the party president appoints the rest, as per the statute.

Govinda Pokharel, the head of the Economic Policy and Planning department, says the upcoming central committee meeting will appoint members of various departments. The party's prorogued central committee meeting will resume on Friday.

The party central committee meeting commenced on August 7. After the five-day meeting, it was postponed for ten days, arguing that the party leaders needed to give time in Parliament and the parliamentary committee.

“The party department could have shown the result by now had it been formed in time,” Pokharel told the Post. “But, if we look at the history of Congress, no president in the recent past has formalised the party department in time. Deuba is no exception.”

Before Deuba, Sushil Koirala and Girija Prasad Koirala were the party presidents, and Pokharel added that both leaders failed to make the party department vibrant during their time.

Arjun Narasingha KC, who has worked in various positions in the party, effectively under Girija Prasad's Koirala, partially agrees with Pokharel. “Forming the party department and making them vibrant was not a problem during Girija Prasad Koiral’s tenure. However, during Sushil Koirala and Deuba’s tenures, it became a major problem,” KC told the Post.

“Forming the party department should not have been a problem for the president, but why are they hesitant? I just can’t say,” KC said.

The party's statute mentions that the party president is responsible for appointing the department head and its members. However, the party leaders say that when other leaders, especially a senior one, show interest, the appointment gets delayed.

“Various party departments are the organisational tools for the leaders to exercise power within the party,” Pokharel added. “If the leaders can install their favourite as the department head, it can amplify their strength within the party. Many of the party's senior leaders are interested in selecting the department heads and their members.”

Last year, during the party's central committee meeting, which increased the number of departments, General Secretary Gagan Thapa had formalised a calendar of party activities. It mentioned appointing the department heads within two months. However, the party failed to follow the calendar passed by the central committee meeting.

Thapa’s proposal was a good initiative but it failed in implementation, KC told the Post.

As time passed, Deuba appointed some department heads. But can the departments formed late work effectively?

For Pokharel, it depends on the leadership of the department. “But, chances to perform well will be slim.”

“The lack of discipline in Congress, as seen lately, and the weakness in building party organisation are some of the reasons for not having effective party departments,” Pokharel argued. “Had our departments been functional, our local leaders and cadres would have known the party's thought process through various departmental programmes.”

He adds that the party needs working departments.

But political analyst Geja Sharma Wagle has a different take.

Congress follows the traditional system of party operation. As long as the party is run in a traditional way, Wagle says, whether it forms the departments or not won’t matter.

“The only way to make the Congress functional is to change its system,” Wagle told the Post. “The Congress should have a directly elected party president, in a departure from the traditional system, to make the party functional.”