Kathmandu, Feb 02: The seventh National Congress of Nepal Communist Party (UML) to elect a new leadership and chalk out strategies for the largest communist organisation in the country has begun warning against any attempt by the government and the Maoist rebels to undermine multi-party democracy.

The Congress, with representatives from India, China and North Korea, is being attended by over 1000 delegates and observers started yesterday at Barabigha in Janakpur. Describing the ceasefire decision taken by Maoists and the government as "positive", CPN(UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, however, warned against any possible "unholy" alliance between the two sides to undermine multiparty democracy and role of the political parties in the country.

In a clear departure from the past, the party instead of putting up portraits of Marx, Lenin and Mao displayed the photographs of its late leader Pushpa Lal Shrestha, Manmohan Adhikari and Madan Bhandari during its three-day convention.
According to the sources, direct contest for the post of general secretary is likely between prominent leftist leader Khadga Prasad Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal.

The inaugural session of the convention was chaired by senior party leader Sahana Pradhan.
Bureau Report