KATHMANDU: With the 15th regular general convention of Nepali Congress unlikely to be held before the March 5 elections, the party’s alternative faction has stepped up preparations for a special convention to consolidate support and pressurize the party’s leadership.
Following the return of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba from treatment in Singapore, the regular convention has not been scheduled, prompting leaders from the alternative faction, including Dr. Shekhar Koirala and the party’s joint general secretaries, to strategize a united front. The faction aims to gather all supporters in one place to increase pressure on the party’s establishment.
On Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Koirala and the general secretaries were engaged in discussions at Baluwatar, coordinating the faction’s approach. After earlier concerns that a special convention might split the party, Koirala has agreed that the convention is now necessary, provided it is sanctioned by the central working committee.
The general secretaries, having collected signatures from 54 percent of convention delegates, are negotiating with all stakeholders to align agendas for the special convention. Sources say the faction plans to present a united stance to push for the event, signaling a potential shift in the party’s internal balance ahead of the upcoming elections.
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