KATHMANDU, Nov 20: A group of youth leaders of Nepali Congress (NC), as well as professionals with allegiance to the NC have begun lobbying with the top leaders of the opposition party to introduce a separate cluster in the party’s organizational structure to ensure lateral entry of distinguished personalities.
They have demanded that the party to make a separate cluster for such personalities so that the party can attract successful personalities from different professional backgrounds. They have also proposed for making a provision of reserved positions for competition exclusively among such personalities.
NC Central Working Committee (CWC) member and youth leader Dhan Raj Gurung said discussions are currently underway to create space to attract such personalities in the grand old party.
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“It is practically difficult for professionals who invested most of their time to excel in their profession to come to the party’s central level organizational structure through open competition. Let alone making it to the party’s central working committee, it is difficult for them even to get elected as general convention representatives,” said Gurung.
For an instance, an influential government secretary tendered his resignation to join active politics representing the NC a few years ago. But he could not even get elected as the party’s general convention representative. However, there are provisions to bring such personalities directly in the party’s central level positions in various countries including India.
A group of professionals within the NC have also lobbied for similar provision in the party as discussions are currently underway to bring amendment to the party statute. The group comprising of professionals from various walks of life including industrialist Binod Chaudhary have demanded at least 10 percent reserved seats in the cluster meant for lateral entry of distinguished personalities.
The group in its written suggestion for the party’s statute amendment has stated that such cluster should be reserved for those morally and intellectually renowned persons and those people who are seen as source of inspiration to the young generation.
“The party should create space for people like us in its central level structure. We do not have anything to take from the party. We want to give something to the country as a whole,” said Chaudhary, who is also an NC lawmaker.
Chaudhary said they have submitted their suggestions to the party’s senior leaders including President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Ram Chandra Paudel and General Secretary Dr Shashank Koirala for their consideration.
“The party should reserve some places for the people who have contributed to the nation through their hard work to give a message that contribution of such personalities is essential to the country,” he said.
