With youth candidates turning the tables at the local level conventions held recently, Nepali Congress (NC) will likely see the dominance of youths in both the district and central working committees of the party after the upcoming 12th general convention. [break]
According NC 12th General Convention Election Committee, over 128,000 of the 313,000 party´s active members joined the party this year. Most of these are young guns.
“The conventions held in the village, municipal and constituency level has shown that youths will have a greater opportunity for leadership,” said NC youth leader Gagan Thapa.
NC has been often criticized as a party belonging to an old generation of leaders. This is substantiated by the fact that NC of the total 114 has only eight lawmakers who are below 35 in parliament.
The number is in no way encouraging as compared to 150 of the total 238 Maoist lawmakers who are below 35. NC´s central working committee (CWC) is no exception to this.
The overwhelming representation of youths in the party´s local bodies would not only mean that they will have a bigger space in the party´s CWC but a say in the party´s decision making process. “The last five years have seen a sea change in the country´s politics. The youths will represent new voice and help steer the party accordingly,” Thapa added.
Altogether 12 elected representatives each from 240 election constituency across the country will take part in the NC´s 12th general convention scheduled for August 26-30 in Kathmandu.
The convention holds great significance for NC as this is the first convention after the merger of NC (Democratic) with the NC back in 2008 and the demise of long-time President Girija Prasad Koirala.
The increased representation of youths is also likely to change the dynamics of upcoming general convention. The candidates vying for the coveted post of party president will have to forge an alliance with the leaders who can garner support of youths rather than just limiting it with influential leaders at the center.
Why is there increased interest of youths towards NC?
Analysts attribute the increase in the number of active youth members in the party chiefly to three reasons - NC´s democratic credential with its glorious history, policy of inclusiveness adopted by the party´s mahasamiti meeting last year and initiatives of local level leadership of the party to attract youths.
According to the party´s statute amended by mahasamiti meeting last year in Kathmandu, there will be a total 85 members in the party´s CWC. Of the total 65 elected members, the statute has made provision to elect 12 women, five dalits, five from indigenous community, five Madhesis and two Muslims. People from these marginalized groups will also be nominated in the CWC.
Currently, there are seven women members, including one invitee member, in the 71-member CWC. Likewise, the number of dalit members in the CWC is just one.
NC CWC member Radhe Shyam Adhikari, who is also head of the party´s Election Committee, said the new provision of inclusiveness has attracted youths to join the party. “This has instilled belief among youths from even marginalized communities that they can one day make it to the leadership level,” he argued.
It is believed that the realization of local level NC leaders that the party can not stand strong without bringing youths in its fold has also largely to do with the increase in the party´s youth membership.
“Above all, we could reach out to all villages across the country in course of convention this year,” added Adhikari. “NC had just renewed the membership of active members during the 11th convention held in 2005 due to threats from the Maoists.”
koshraj@myrepublica.com
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