By Our Reporter After Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba formed 20 departments in two phases, ignoring the heavy objection from a rival faction led by Ram Chandra Paudel, the dispute in the main opposition has spilled again. When Deuba formed 13 departments in the first phase, the top leaders of the rival faction strongly objected the move that the formation was made with an ill intention of influencing the 14th general convention of the party, Deuba further added seven departments two days later further igniting the rival groups. He also nominated in the central committee even though his legal term of party president has almost expired. However, Deuba managed to cause a division in the two rival factions—Krishna Prasad Sitaual and Paudel, which were together for about two years, by giving a few departments to the leaders loyal to Sitaula. NC senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel-led rival faction had clearly warned that his team would not accept the formation of the department at a time when the four-year tenure of the party president was to expire within a few days. Nepali Congress rival faction leaders have accused party president Sher Bahadur Deuba of trying to influence party workers for the upcoming general convention of the party by distributing posts and money. Accusing Deuba of distributing posts by forming the departments when the 14th general convention of the party was approaching fast, they said formation of the departments was unacceptable. Speaking at a press meet organised by the Nepal Press Union Makawanpur, NC senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel and others said the party president was trying to capture the party at a time when the party’s role was weakening. We urged party president Deuba not to form the departments at a time of the active membership distribution. But he tries to increase his influence in the party by distributing the posts and money. It is an anti-democratic move,” Paudel said. NC general secretary Dr. Shashanka Koirala said forming the departments was meaningless when the party had already proceeded for holding the 14th general convention. He also said formation of departments was not acceptable. NC former general secretary Prakash Man Singh said the formation of the departments was an attempt to influence the party’s general convention. NC president Deuba has appointed leadership in 20 of its 48 departments, almost four years after he was elected NC president. According to the party statute, the departments should have been formed within two months after the conclusion of the general convention. Moreover, Deuba who failed to form the 28 departments provisioned in its statue for 47 months, increased them to 48 a month ago despite strong opposition from the rival factions of the party.