KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) has directed its sister organizations to conduct their central general conventions and elect new leadership by mid-April.

This move follows the party’s decision not to extend the terms of organizations that fail to hold their conventions.

On February 13, NC convened the coordinators of central steering committees and the presidents of its affiliated organizations to its central office, stressing the importance of holding the conventions by mid-April.

So far, only two of the 13 organizations—Nepal Muslim Association and Nepal Democratic Indigenous Nationalities Federation—have conducted their general conventions and elected new leadership.

The Muslim Association held its convention in September 2023, electing Atabul Mansuri as president, while Om Bahadur Gharti Magar was re-elected unopposed for a second term as president of the Indigenous Nationalities Federation.

The Nepal Democracy Fighters Association is set to become the third organization to hold its general convention, scheduled in Kathmandu from February 19 to 22, where it will elect new leadership.

The Nepal Peasants’ Federation has been organizing district-level conferences in preparation for its central general convention, which is expected to take place by mid-April.

However, other prominent sister organizations, such as the Nepal Students’ Union (NSU), Tarun Dal, and Nepal Mahila Sangh, have not held conventions since 2073 BS.

NSU, operating with an ad hoc committee since 2076 BS, currently has a 752-member central ad hoc committee, while Tarun Dal, without a regular convention since 2073 BS, operates with a 401-member ad hoc committee.

The Nepal Democratic Fighters’ Association, which last held a convention in 2064 BS, also lacks regular leadership.

With increasing pressure from the central leadership, these organizations are expected to complete their general conventions by the mid-April deadline.

The Nepal Dalit Association has appointed Lok Bahadur Bishwakarma as the head of its ad hoc committee, while the Nepal Ex-Servicemen Association, also without a general convention since 2073 BS, has nominated Meghraj Tandon as chair of its ad hoc committee.

The Nepal Democratic Indigenous Nationalities Federation, which was renamed from the Indigenous Nationalities Federation, held its general convention in Kathmandu, electing Om Bahadur Gharti Magar as president.

The Nepal Muslim Association, one of the few organizations to have held a general convention, also elected Atabul Mansuri as president during its convention.

Other sister organizations, including the Nepal Thakur Society and the Nepal Tharu Association, have also faced delays in holding conventions, leading to the formation of ad hoc committees.

The Nepal Democratic Sports Association is another new fraternal organization of the NC, recognized by the Central Working Committee in Shrawan 2079 BS.