Kathmandu – The CPN-UML is starting formal discussions on the agenda of the statutory general convention from today.

The draft of the report to be taken to the statutory general convention will be presented at the secretariat meeting to be held at the central headquarters, Chyasal, at 1 pm today. Vice President Bishnu Prasad Poudel has been given the responsibility of bringing the draft of the report .

As per the decision taken at the secretariat meeting on 11 Ashad, Chairman KP Sharma Oli will prepare the political report, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel will prepare the organizational report, and Vice President Poudel will prepare the statutory report.

Accordingly, General Secretary Pokharel has already held meetings and consultations with the office bearers of all seven provinces, 77 district leaderships, office bearers of public organizations, department and party leaderships to prepare the organizational report. Preparations are underway to discuss the draft of the statute amendment to be prepared by Vice President Poudel in today’s secretariat meeting.

The UML leadership has already started informal discussions on the agenda to be presented at the second statutory general convention scheduled for the upcoming 20-22 Bhadra in Godawari, Lalitpur. Based on the informal discussions, it seems that the 70-year age limit and the restriction on candidates from being candidates for the same post (for officials above the municipality) for more than two consecutive terms will be the main agenda in this statutory general convention.

According to sources, preparations are underway to bring a proposal to remove both these provisions under Article 64 of the party statute in the secretariat meeting. Meanwhile, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, who has entered active politics of the UML to take over the party leadership, and her supporters are preparing to not allow to be candidates for more than two terms in the same post and not to abandon the agenda of the 70-year age limit.

Article 64 (1) of the party statute, revised by the Godawari statutory general convention held on 15-17 Asoj 2078, provided that candidates for more than two terms in the same post were banned and according to Article 64 (2) had a provision for an age limit of 70 years. But less than two months later, the provision of Article 64 (1) was removed from the Central Committee meeting held before the 10th National Convention held in Chitwan (10-14 Mangsir 2078).

Since the determination of the leader who will take the leadership from the 11th National Convention will also be based on this agenda, the UML is about to enter into an important discussion. Because the decision on the age limit and the two-term arrangement will determine whether Oli will become the chairman for the third time or not.