The UCPN (Maoist) Saturday decided to hold its general convention from January 27 next year. A meeting of the general convention organising committee held at the party headquarters, Peris Danda, fixed the general convention date.

However, the end date of the general convention was rather unclear. According to Dina Nath Sharma, who is now replaced by Agni Sapkota as party spokesperson, the general convention would conclude by February 12.

Similarly, the party will conduct the conventions of its village, district and state committees by January 13, starting from October 2.

Meanwhile, today's meeting changed the responsibilities of the central leaders according to which chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal will command the entire affairs of the party at the centre while Baburam Bhattarai will look after matters with the government.

Likewise, Krishna Bahadur Mahara has been appointed head of the organisation department while Post Bahadur Bogati will oversee matters with the party headquarters. Dina Nath Sharma has been given the responsibility of intellectual department.

The party has appointed Agni Sapkora as the party spokesperson. Likewise, Barsha Man Pun and Top Bahadur Rayamaji are in-charges of teachers department and sports department respectively. Ram Karki has been appointed in-charge of the foreign department and Janardan Sharma as head of the sister organisations.

The party also appointed Shakti Basnet, Lila Mani Pokharel and Giriraj Mani Pokharel as the in-charges of far-western, western and eastern bureaus respectively. nepalnews.com