JPN Holds its Second Central Convention as a Republican force
Janajagaran Party Nepal (JPN) held its Second Central Convention on 29-30 December at Dhading Besi, Dhading District of Province 3 (Bagmati Province).The Convention was preceded by the Standing Committee final prep meeting, finalizing the party’s Manifesto and brush up work on the party’s Constitution.
The Convention started with an inaugural ceremony which was originally planned at the Open Ground (Khulla Manch) but was moved to the auditorium hall of a local hotel as it rained throughout the day. Attended by representatives from the seven Provinces, the programme was ably emceed by the Secretary General of the party Mr. Roshan (T. P.) Khatiwada, presided over by the party Chair Dr. BP Khanal.Local artists presented various cultural dance performaces as part of the welcome.After the closure of the inauguration, closed session of the representatives pored over the manifesto, effectively shifting from the party’s ‘ideal socialism’ to a fully republican, constitutionalist, pro-limited government and unrestrained civic liberties as regards faith, conscience expression and publication- to list a few.
The Consitution of the party was also slightly amended to incorporate the concept of team decision, servant leadership, and holistic/transformative development that incorporates the spiritual and the material and social as embodied by the party’s greeting “Shalom!” Incidentally, “Shalom” is a salutatory greeting that wishes peace and harmony that is true and abiding, when an individual is able to live in peace and love with/for herself/himself, with others, and with the Divine.The party’s definitive characteristics are its recognition of the sanctity of human life, inviolability of individual freedom and conscience, property and choice, and commitment to peaceful and ethical approach in politics at all costs.
Viewed this, JPN is probably the only political party that clearly negates an atheistic/materislistis worldview espoused by communists/socilalists on the one hand, and religious-communal divisive politics that is rampant in this part of the world, on the other.The newly elected central committee has 31 officials, with provision for needed officials to be nominated.Officials from other parties like Nepali Congress, Communist Party (UML) and AP Mesiha resigned their posts/roles in their respective parties and joined JPN in the inaugural, and were welcome with a certificate of membership.
At a time when even one time largest party like the CPN (Maoist) was forced to overnight change its meeting into convention, JPN is among the very few parties to retain a good standing with the Election Commission by updating its audits and holding Central Convention on a timely basis.Newly Elected Central Executive Committee:
- Dr. BP Khanal – Central Chairperson
- Mr Sunil Maharjan – Senior Vice-chair
- Mr Dwarika Shrestha – Vice-chair
- Mr Roshan (T.P.) Khatiwada – General Secretary
- Mr Hirakaji Maharjan – Treasurer
- Mr Bidur Adhikari – Deputy General Secretary (& Spokesperson)
- Mr Abhishek (Purushottam P) Uprety – Under General-secretary
- Ms Liliyo Maharjan – Under General-secretary
- Mr Devendra Singh Dongol – Under General-secretary
- Mr Kal Bahadur BK – Deputy Treasurer
- Mr Chrong Tamang – Deputy Treasurer
- Mr Raju Nepal – Chief Secretary
- Mr Ananda Bahadur PM – Secretary
- Mr M. D. Satar – Secretary
- Ms Chandra Maya (Elie) Shrestha – Under-secretary
- Binda Katuwal – Under-secretaryCentral Executive Committe Members:
- Mr Rameshwar Yadav
- Mr Man P Jaisi (Manoj)
- Mr Lila Raj Shrestha
- Mr Ram Bahadur Moktan
- Mr Prem B. Sahi
- Mr Sawal Sunuwar
- Ms Urmila Pathak Rai
- Mr Ujjwal Nembang
- Mr Sher B. Tamang
- Mr Gopal Tamang
- Mr Dhan B. BK
- Mr Tek B. Sunar
- Mr Samuel BK
- Mr Suresh Kumar Baniya
- Ram B. Katuwal