KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) is convening its Madesh Province Conference on Thursday, marking a significant event as it is the first gathering since the establishment of the Provincial Working Committee.

The conference will be inaugurated by party President Sher Bahadur Deuba. Joining him will be Vice President and Defence Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka, General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, Biswa Prakash Sharma, and other key party leaders.

However, notable absentee Shekhar Koirala, leader of the opposition group within the party, will be attending a separate event in Sunsari, bypassing the provincial conference. Earlier, concerns were voiced by leaders aligned with the Koirala group regarding the exclusion of Koirala as a special guest at the conference.

Dinesh Thapaliya, the personal secretary of Koirala, announced on social media that Koirala will participate in a mass gathering and interaction program in Sunsari today.

The conference is expected to draw 825 provincial representatives from the eight districts of the province, making it a crucial platform for discussions and strategic planning within the party.