The three-month of nationwide party strengthening and mobilisation campaign of CPN-UML culminated into the first mass gathering of National Representatives’ Council in the capital on Sunday. The national jamboree is the biggest after general convention and will continue for three days.

The crowd at Khulamanch, supposed to be show of party strength was not encouraging. However, the rallies taken out from various parts of the capital before converging at the venue made a spectacular display of cultural shows representing different ethnic groups from across the country.

The cadres fetched in Kathmandu from neighbouring districts could hardly fill half of the 10,000 capacity open amphitheatre next to Ratnapark. Party chairman Jhalanath Khanal , who gave a key note speech at the concluding of the program to a sparse mass, made the crowd laugh saying that the Khulamanch was getting smaller.

The party loyalists who had gathered to listen to their leaders talk about party’s vision and their commitment towards it were put off after speakers spent much of their time criticising the other parties, especially the Maoists for the delay in the peace and constitution writing process. “They keep criticising others but never reform themselves,” said Anil Raut who had come from Bhaktapur for the program. “Had the party leaders not divided in the past, there would be a spectacular gathering of people”, he said.

Khanal claimed only his party could save the democracy and lashed out at Madhesi parties. “Do they know where Mahakali river originate from? Why don’t they speak when people of Kanchanpur are unable to use water of Mahakali river,” he said referring to Mahakali treaty. “They keep quiet about Susta in Nawalparasi. Are not these places in Terai?”

Bamdev Gautam was even more critical about Madhesi parties. “They joined the government for corruption and now threaten to secede when caught red handed,” he said. Gautam also indirectly confessed factionalism in the party in the past and called for unity. “The history has given us an opportunity to take a lead in peace and constitution writing process and only a united party can live upto the task ,” he said.

KP Oli termed the Maoists as incapable and useless party. “Maoists are the main hindrance for a unity government because they are clung to the chair.” He appealed the party cadres to fight back ‘Maoist repression’. “Don’t do injustice, don’t tolerate it either ,” he said.

Madhav Kumar Nepal took exception of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s remark that tens of thousands people would be killed if the nation gets into another war. “I sometimes don’t understand whether he is a prime minister or a rebel,” he said. “If they think that we would be scared of such threats, they are mistaken.” Ashok Rai and Ishwar Pokharel also lambasted Maoist ‘highhandedness and totalitarian tendency’.

But the biggest disappointment was, none of the speakers, except Khanal, talked of the event itself. Leaders failed to read the sentiments of their cadres, who seemed unaffected by high pitched rants against other parties. The only time the crowd seemed to come alive was Oli read a Nepali adage, “Nobody can store corn in a barn with the help of monkeys.” (badarlai khetala layer kasaile pani makai ko kunyu khada garna sakdaina).

The National Representative Council meeting is being organised for the first time after the party’s 8th General Convention in Butwal in 2009. Over 900 representatives and observers will participate in the three day closed sessions. The meeting will discuss the party chairman’s political document, the general secretary’s organisational report and the reports prepared by various commissions and departments of the party. It is expected to be instrumental in settling intra-party problems and charting out party’s effective role in the integration and constitution building process.

Dewan Rai