Costly NSU convention

By Our Reporter The ongoing 11th general convention of the Nepal Students Union has turned costly for the Nepali Congress, the mother party of NSU. The three-day convention inaugurated by NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba has not concluded even on the 11th day of its opening. As the students were divided over the names of the representatives, the closed session could not begin the next day of its inaugural and by the time the disputes were resolved, the NSU could not find a hall for the closed session as the halls booked for three days at Bhrikuti Mandap had to be vacated without holding the closed session. The booking expired before the disputes were resolved. The convention turned so messy that police had to be moblised to control the mob at the party office Sanepa. It was reported that nearly Rs 50 million has already been spent to hold the convention. Around 3400 representatives have been staying in Kathmandu for about fortnight waiting for the resumption of the convention. The division of the mother party was clearly reflected in the NSU with all factions of the party having their own group also in the student wings. While party president Sher Bahadur Deuba had his own group, Ram Chandra Poudel and Krishna Sitaula too had their separate panel to capture the leadership in the NSU. Too many cooks spoil the curry. Too many groups in the mother party also spoil its sister organsiation. It was evident from the NSU convention. After an skirmish among the NSU leaders lasting for a week, the Deuba-Sitaula panel packed only on Monday. The marriage between the Deuba-Sitaula panel is sure to become costly for Poudel panel as Manoj Mani Acharya of Poudel panel was to win the election if three groups had contested the polls.  The voting  began only on Tuesday. The lengthy NSU convention showed lack of internal democracy in the so-called largest democratic party of the country. Otherwise, it was not necessary for the party leaders to select the convention representatives of 11 districts without holding elections.  The prolonged convention also caused a delay in the expansion of the cabinet.