NC factionalism spills over into NSU ahead of FSU elections

KATHMANDU: The division within the Nepali Congress (NC) has also surfaced in its student’s union – the Nepal Students’ Union (NSU).

Two separate groups of NSU have registered different unions for the upcoming Free Students’ Union (FSU) elections.

The establishment faction of NC has nominated Dujang Sherpa as the President of NSU. However, student leaders close to NC’s anti-establishment faction led by Dr Shekhar Koirala have been running parallel activities under the leadership of Premika Thapa Magar.

Premika’s faction has registered separate unions at different colleges across the country to contest FSU elections. This means two unions of NSU have been registered at different colleges for the elections.

According to leaders close to Premika faction of NSU, they have registered separate unions at more than 80% of colleges, including the Tribhuvan University Central Campus in Kirtipur.

Dharma Raj Shiahi, an NSU leader from Premika’s faction, said they have registered a separate union for the FSU election. “Since President Sherpa has sidelined popular student leaders in favor of people close to him, we were forced to register our own union,” Shahi said. “We will field our own candidates for the FSU elections.”

Leaders of Dujang faction said they were aware of parallel activities conducted by some people in NSU. “However, one faction will be authorized as the authentic union in the end,” NSU Spokesperson Saroj Sejuwal said. “Since there cannot be two unions with the same name, colleges will have to identify the authentic union based on the letter sent by NSU’s central committee.”

Sejuwal also said this is not the first time that separate factions have been seen in NSU. “We have seen this in the past as well. It becomes more significant during elections,” he added.

Shekhar faction’s dissatisfaction seen in NSU

Dr Koirala has been expressing dissent with the party leadership for a long time. He was absent in the party’s training program for presidents of and training chiefs of constituency committees of Lumbini province held in Butwal recently.

Leaders close to Dr Koirala said his dissent stems from a hierarchy dispute within the party. In the past, a defeated candidate for the post of party president would be nominated as the Senior Leader. NC President Deuba has not made such nomination so far.

Deuba defeated Koirala in the 14th general convention held in 2021.

NC leader and former NSU President Nain Singh Mahar said the issue would be resolved soon. “The party has formed a committee under General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma. The committee will hold needful discussions to resolve the issue,” Mahar added.