President of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) Sher Bahadur Deuba has said the process of party unification has been delayed due to lack of concern from the NC leadership.

Addressing the inaugural session of the National Conference of NC (D) district presidents, Deuba said though he had submitted the names of three leaders for forming a taskforce to initiate the unification process, the NC establishment neglected his call for unity.

Deuba also directed the district presidents to go to the village and concentrate on strengthening the party organization.

The two-day long conference will discuss the issue of strengthening the party organisation and other contemporary political issues in the backdrop of the latest political developments in the country and the party agendas for the constituent assembly election.

The convention will decide whether to call Mahasamiti meeting to decide major issues.

The ruling seven-party alliance and the Maoists have agreed to hold the election to constituent assembly by mid-June 2007 and NC (D) meeting is also considered as the preparation for the CA polls.

The two Congress parties had split in May of 2002. Deuba went on to form NC (D) after he was expelled from NC as he dissolved the parliament “without party’s consent”.