Nepali Congress on Tuesday nominated parliamentary party deputy leader Bijay Kumar Gachhadar to the post of vice president.

The decision was taken by a meeting of the Central Working Committee on Tuesday.

Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba had nominated Gachhadar as the party’s vice president, even though the party statute has the provision for only on vice-president, the post already occupied by Bimalendra Nidhi.

NC Spokesperson  Bishwa Prakash Sharma said the nomination was made by removing the statutory hurdle to honour the agreement reached with Nepal Loktantrik Forum, a party led by Gachhadar, before it merged with the NC.

Gachhadar had reportedly been pressing the NC leadership to implement the agreement reached with his old party.

Besides promising vice presidential berth, the NC had also agreed to accommodate 15-20 leaders from Gachhadar’s former party in the NC central committee.  

Gachhadar had quit the NC in 2008 to join the then Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (Democratic), led by Upendra Yadav, only to split later to form Nepal Loktantrik Forum.

In 2017, ahead of the federal and provincial elections, Nepal Loktantrik Forum merged with the NC.

Meanwhile, the NC faction led by senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel has denounced Deuba’s decision to nominate Gachhadar as the party’s vice president without securing sufficient consensus.

“The decision isn’t unanimous,” leader Arjun Narasingha KC said. “We have been asking the party leadership to take such decision in line with the party rule.”

The NC’s statute also has the provision that requires its office-bearers to be elected representatives. Gachhadar is a special invitational member.

Congress Mahasamiti meet postponed to December

The NC central working committee meeting has deferred its scheduled Mahasamiti meeting to December. Earlier, the party had announced to hold the meeting on November 21-25 in Kathmandu.

NC Spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma said the Mahasamiti meeting will take place on December 14-18. The meeting was postponed because the party needed some more time to discuss some contentious issue concerning the party statute amendment draft.

The meeting was also postponed considering the upcoming festivals of Tihar and Chhath, Sharma added. “Preparatory works for the meeting have been affected due to the festivals. Besides, it wouldn’t be wise to hold a crucial meeting during major festivals.”

As per the NC statute, the Mahasamiti meeting must be held once every year. However, the meeting  has not taken place for the last three years.  

The NC has also formed a five-member committee under, Vice President Nidhi, to conclude the unification process of the party’s lower committees.

“The committee will submit a report at the CWC next meeting of CWC,” the NC said in a statement. (PR)