The 18th national convention of the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU), the student wing of the CPN (UML), kicked off in Chitwan Monday.

UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal inaugurated the four-day-long convention in Bharatpur. Rallies were organised from different parts of Bharatpur ahead of the inauguration of the convention today.

The national convention which is participated by 1200 ANNFSU representatives from around the country will suggest policies for the restructuring of the educational sector and disclose the organisation’s view on political issues. It will also elect a new leadership.

General secretary Thakur Gaire and another influential student leader are the strongest contenders for the ANNFSU presidency while Bijay Rai, who chairs the Free Students Union (FSU) of Tribhuvan University central campus, and Ram Kumar Jhakri are set to contest for the position of vice-president, reports said.

Delegates of student organisations from 14 different countries also participated in the inaugural session of the convention.

Meanwhile, the 17th national convention of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary) kicked off at the Open Air Theatre in Kathmandu. Thousands of ANNISU-R members marched around the city before the opening of the convention.

School students in their uniform could be seen in large numbers in the rally. Tens of thousands of students were brought in buses and trucks from outside Kathmandu to participate in the rallies.

Maoist centre leader and member of the dialogue team, Dev Gurung, addressing the 17th National Convention of the All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary) at Khula Manch in Kathmandu, Monday, Sep 17 06. nepalnews.com/ANA

Inaugurating the five-day convention, Maoist central leader and member of the talks team, Dev Gurung, said the government had been acting against the peace process at the behest of foreign powers and warned that his party would launch another peaceful movement if the peace process didn’t move in the right direction.

Reports, meanwhile, said the current leadership of the Union under Lekhnath Neupane would get continuity even after the national convention.