The CPN (Maoist Centre) has yet again postponed the general convention of its student wing All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary).

An office-bearers’ meeting of the party on Thursday decided to defer the 23rd general convention, which was slated to commence in the Capital on Sunday. After several postponements, the national jamboree of the union started in September. However, it was suspended without electing the leadership following a dispute over the selection of convention representatives and whether or not set up an age bar for the leadership.

With no sign for the resumption of the convention, a team of party’s student leaders, led by vice-chair Keshab Rawal, staged a hunger strike demanding the national gathering be held in December second week and leadership elected through a vote. They withdrew their strike with the party leadership agreeing to hold the convention starting on December 8.

However, the party meeting led by chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal decided to defer the convention citing lack of preparations due to the need for the party to focus on local by-polls.

The next Standing Committee meeting called for December 12 will take a decision regarding its student wing’s convention, according to party leaders.

The student leaders, however, seem unconvinced. Rawal, who also is a contender for the union’s presidency, accused the party leadership of treating students as their slaves, who must obey them without question.

“This is not just interference in student affairs, it shows they see us as slaves,” Rawal told the Post. “This is unacceptable. I don’t believe the party’s next meeting will announce the date. I will stage a protest again.”

Though the party has cited lack of preparation for the postponement, insiders suggest that Dahal is worried because his chosen candidate may not win the elections. “The second rung leaders do not agree with Dahal’s selection. Dahal is avoiding election because he fears his candidate might lose,” said a party leader.

Around a dozen student leaders backed by different factions within the party are in the race for the union’s presidency. Party’s senior vice-chair Narayan Kaji Shrestha supports Pawan Karki. Karki had been running a parallel organisation within the union after Dahal picked Pancha Singh as chair two years back.

Barshaman Pun is pushing for Dipesh Pun or Tukman Mahara and Janardan Sharma wants Madan Bhul or Narayan Khanal. Both the leaders are deputy general secretaries in the Maoist Centre.

Naresh Regmi has the backing of Pampha Bhusal and Dev Gurung, the party’s vice-chair and general secretary, respectively. Although Dahal hasn’t openly endorsed any candidate, he reportedly has a soft corner for Regmi. By supporting Regmi ahead, Dahal wants to please Bhusal and Gurung to garner their support to induct Netra Bikram Chand, who had earlier splintered from the Maoist Centre, in the party. But deputy general secretaries Pun and Sharma reportedly do not want Chand in the party.

The deputy general secretaries, though they are rivals, have started coming together when it comes to challenging Dahal’s leadership. “They feel that Dahal is imposing his decision by dividing them. It is clear that Pun and Sharma will not accept Dahal’s candidate for the union’s chairperson. They might even field a common candidate to counter Dahal’s candidate if voting takes place,” said the leader. “Defeat of Dahal’s candidate would mean he is losing grip on the party organisation.”

Some of the student leaders, however, believe the December 12 meeting would take a decision regarding the convention. “I believe the party will either decide to hold voting or will handpick the leadership,” said Regmi.

For years, the Maoist Centre’s leadership has directly selected the leadership of its student union.

As many as 2,323 representatives were handpicked for the national gathering in September.

However, a section of the leaders raised questions over the legality of around 70 representatives, most of whom are enrolled to various institutions under the Council for Vocational Education and Training. The dissident group argues that these representatives were handpicked without following the proper selection process.

The differences escalated to the extent where representatives smashed the furniture at the Kirtipur venue of the convention twice as they clashed. A group of student leaders, taking cue from Mahara, the son of Jokh Bahadur Mahara, former Lumbini chief minister, even brandished a khukuri (Gurkha knife). A large number of police personnel were deployed at the Tribhuvan University campus to contain the protest.

Right from the commencement of the conference, there were strong calls to impose an age limit for student leaders. But not everyone agreed to that. Without consensus, the issue was to be decided through voting. However, the voting didn’t take place due to the lack of agreement over the representatives leading to the convention’s postponement.