District-in-charge positions also hotly contested in CPN (Unified Socialist)

Kathmandu, October 4 — After a scramble among central committee members and officials for departmental heads and district in-charges, the CPN (Unified Socialist) has decided to postpone work division until after Dashain.

A seven-member task force led by Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal had prepared for the formation of department heads, 77 district in-charges, mass organization heads, and central commissions. However, the leaders' insistence on holding key departmental positions themselves has made it difficult to finalize the work distribution.

Although a meeting of the task force was held last week, disagreements among officials regarding key departments such as the Finance Department, Organization Department, Foreign Affairs Department, and Publicity Department led to no decisions being made.

"There is a struggle among officials to retain important departments," one leader noted, adding that Chairman Nepal has opted to take more time for comprehensive discussions before reaching a decision. As a result, the work distribution may not be finalized before Dashain.

Ram Kumar Bhattarai, office secretary and deputy general secretary of the CPN (Unified Socialist), stated that while groundwork for work distribution is ongoing at the task force level, no concrete conclusions have been reached yet.

"The chairman is expected to arrive in Kathmandu on Thursday. After he arrives, the process will move forward. I understand there is an effort to finalize the work division before Dashain," Bhattarai said.

According to sources, there is intense competition among officials to lead the Finance Department. Senior leaders, vice-chairpersons, and secretaries are all vying for this department's leadership.

Leaders Pramesh Hamal, Vice Chairman Jagannath Khatiwada, and Secretary Som Prasad Pandey have expressed strong aspirations to head the Finance Department. Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal also wishes to appoint someone favorable to him for this department. While Pandey is in the chairman's favor, it is understood that Hamal and Khatiwada insist that if they don't get the Finance Department, they should at least secure another significant department.

Similarly, there is a fierce competition among leaders for the head of the Organization Department. Senior Vice Chairman Rajendra Pandey and General Secretary Ghanshyam Bhusal are currently competing for this position. Previously, Beduram Bhusal, who led this department, has expressed a desire to take over again since he didn't secure any significant position.

For the leadership of the Foreign Affairs Department, a competition exists between senior leader Jhalnath Khanal and leader Pramesh Hamal. Khanal, who previously headed this department, wishes to reclaim it, but Hamal has indicated to Chairman Nepal that if he does not receive the Finance Department, he should be given the Foreign Affairs Department instead. "Hamal is in favor of either the Finance or Foreign Affairs position. If Hamal gets Foreign Affairs, Khanal may not agree," a source close to Madhav Nepal mentioned. This department has also attracted the attention of many leaders, making decision-making difficult.

Leaders seem eager to take charge of the Publicity Department, known for enhancing direct relations with the media and gaining closer ties to leadership. Jagannath Khatiwada previously led this department before the 10th National Convention held in July, and he continues to advocate for the continuity of the Publicity Department if he does not secure the Finance Department.

In addition to Khatiwada, other aspirants for this department include Deputy General Secretary Metmani Chaudhary, Garima Shah, and Ganglal Tuladhar.

Beyond departmental roles, there is significant competition among leaders for the position of district in-charge in districts with multiple central members. 

Following the 10th National Convention, the party temporarily assigned provincial in-charge responsibilities to officials and has announced plans to hold provincial conventions by next mid-December. Due to the provision that only elected leaders can contest for provincial chairmanship, leaders are keen to secure nominations for departmental heads, fearing defeat in the province.