NC CC scraps membership forms

Prakash Acharya

KATHMANDU: The Central Committee (CC) of the Nepali Congress today cancelled the active membership forms that were distributed in 10 districts across the nation. The CC initiated a similar move for Nepali Public Relations’ Committees in

India and Australia.

Sunsari, Siraha, Lamjung, Syangja, Palpa, Rolpa, Dolpa, Banke, Bardiya and Bajhang are the 10 districts, where forms were distributed between March 27 and July 24.

The decision comes in the wake of “serious objection” from some CC members.

They alleged that the forms were distributed “against the party’s statute”.

The haphazard dishing out of forms was reportedly done to derive mileage during the upcoming National General Convention (NGC) to be held from March 10 to 14, 2010, in the capital. Swelling the membership would have helped a section in the NC to

influence the NGC.

Sources claimed around 15,000 forms were distributed for this purpose.

As a course correction, the CC today formulated a complex process to distribute the active membership to its workers.

As per the new guidelines, the village/metropolitan and area committees will be the first to approve the applications for active membership. While, the final say will be with the district committee.

According to the party

calendar, which was approved today, the active membership will be renewed by mid-November. And new membership will be finalised by mid-December.

CC member Chiranjivi Wagle-led panel today recommended that action should be taken against those who

flouted party norms during last year’s Constituent

Assembly (CA)polls.

The committee was formed to review the party’s election debacle. Also, there were complaints galore from at least 42 districts that the rebel candidates had undermined the party’s chances in the crucial elections.

Around 25 rebel candidates will be deprived of the Mahasamiti membership for anti-party activities. The panel suggested that five rebel candidates’ general membership should be scrapped. Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Dailekh, Baitadi, Parbat, Parsa, Bara, Saptari and Khotang districts were the party’s biggest headache during the CA elections.