Ratopati Weekly Briefing (Nov 27-Dec 3): Season of conventions; Oli reelected in UML, Thapa and Lingden in race for RPP Chair
1. UML Convention: Oli emerged more powerful
The main opposition CPN-UML held its 10th General Convention in Chitwan this week.
The party elected new leadership for the next five years.
KP Sharma Oli was elected the party chair for his second consecutive stint despite being challenged by Bhim Rawal.
Despite bids for unanimous leadership, some leaders including Rawal challenged the establishment faction [led by Oli] and filed their candidacies.
While five of the 19 key positions were decided unopposed, the elections were held for 14 other positions including the chairman, six vice-chair and seven secretaries.
Ishwar Pokharel was elected senior vice chair unopposed on Monday.
Similarly, Asta Laxmi Shakya, Yubraj Gyawali, Bishnu Poudel, Ram Bahadur Thapa, Subash Nembang and Surendra Pandey were elected vice-chairs. Ghanashyam Bhusal, however, could not manage to win the position.
Chairman Oli’s confidant and former chief minister of Lumbini Province, Shankar Pokharel, was elected general secretary unanimously. The three deputy general secretaries --- Pradeep Gyawali, Prithvi Subba Gurung and Bishnu Rimal were among those elected unopposed.
Of the nine contesting for the secretarial position, Bhim Acharya and Tanka Karki lost the elections. Gokarna Bista, Yogesh Bhattarai, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Lekhraj Bhatta, Padma Aryal, Raghubir Mahaseth and Chhabilal Bishwokarma were party secretaries.
The convention also elected a 301-member central committee and other thematic committees as well.
2. NC Convention
The ruling Nepali Congress is holding provincial conventions as part of its 14th National General Convention to be held in the capital next week.
The conventions, which are to elect new leadership for the next five years, are being held in Biratnagar (Province 1), Janakpur (Province 2), Hetauda (Bagmati), Pokhara (Gandaki), Bhairahawa (Lumbini), Surkhet (Karnali) and Dhangadhi (Sudur Paschim).
Earlier, the party held conventions in 165 constituencies of the House of Representatives (HoR) including in 149 on November 19.
The constituency-level conventions elected the delegates for the party's general convention to be held between December 10 and 12 for the selection of the central leadership. As per the NC’s party statute, at least 25 delegates would be elected from each election constituency.
Prior to this, the party had concluded its provincial assembly-level conventions across the country on November 19. Likewise, the party's ward-level and local-level conventions had also been held.
3. RPP Convention: Thapa, Lingden in race
A right-wing political party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) is holding its unity general convention this week.
Inaugurated on Wednesday, the convention is all set to elect new leadership comprising a chair, four vice-chairs and three general secretaries for the next four years.
Kamal Thapa and Rajendra Lingden have filed their candidacy for the position of party chairman. Thapa, who is serving as one of three chairmen of the party and Lingden, the only lawmakers representing in federal parliament, registered their candidacy on Friday.
While Thapa is aspiring to lead the united party for another term, Lingden insists that the party needs a change in leadership. Analysts say that it is going to be a close contest between two leaders.
4. Lottery System at apex court, issue still unresolved
The Supreme Court (SC) started implementing a lottery system for allocating cases to the justices, from Wednesday.
The newly introduced system has formally snatched the prerogative power of the chief justice while assigning cause schedules.
According to the new system, all the cases that are to be heard in a day are classified into different blocks. The benches to hear the cases are formed by drawing the lots which are placed in separate boxes.
Despite the expectations of many that the ongoing stalemate in the top court would come to an end, the apex court is yet to function in a full swing.
As lawyers kept on demanding the resignation of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Jb Rana, the benches barely could hear the assigned cases. The Nepal Bar Association (NBA) wanted to know who the acting chief justice was as Rana was admitted to a hospital in the capital after catching COVID-19.
It is to be noted that a report submitted by Justice Hari Krishna Karki had recommended introducing the lottery system. Another report by Justice Mira Khadka had also suggested the procedure to implement the system. A full court held on November 18 decided to amend the regulations in a bid to introduce the lottery system.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the ruling alliance, the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) and Rastriya Janamorcha Party, on Wednesday, asked CJ JB Rana to take leave and designate an acting chief justice during his absence.
5. Fear of Omicron variant
In view of the threat posed by the new Omicron coronavirus variant, the Ministry of Home Affairs decided to bar nationals from all African countries from entering the country for the time being
The World Health Organization declared on Friday the latest variant B.1.1.529 of SARS-CoV-2, first identified in South Africa, to be "of concern," its most serious level, and officially gave it the Greek name Omicron.
The fear of the virus has been intensified as Nepal’s southern neighbor, India, too, reported two Omicron cases on Thursday.
In September, Nepal reopened the on-arrival visa service for foreign tourists fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a view to reviving the tourism sector.
Nepal has been hit twice by the coronavirus, but it has seen daily new infections declining in recent months.
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