KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress leader and former minister Pradeep Paudel has announced his candidacy for the post of general secretary in the party’s 15th general convention.
During an interaction with journalists on Thursday, Paudel said that although he had contested for the general secretary position in the 14th general convention without success, he has now formally decided to run again for the same post in the upcoming 15th general convention.
Responding to questions about which faction he would represent, Paudel said, “There is a party practice of general secretary candidates emerging from the group led by the party president. At present, it has not been finalized which group that will be. However, it will be a group with capable leadership that can bring renewal to the party in line with the country’s current situation and public sentiment.”
On the occasion, Paudel stressed that the Nepali Congress should complete its 15th general convention and move forward with new leadership before contesting the general election scheduled for March 5, 2026.
He emphasized the need for fresh leadership through the general convention, policies aligned with the sentiments of the Gen-Z movement, and a more dynamic party approach before entering the election. Paudel said the general election would provide a long-term solution to the country’s current political situation and urged the government to ensure strong security arrangements and take necessary measures to conduct a free, fair and rigging-free election.
The Nepali Congress has decided to hold its 15th general convention in Kathmandu from January 10 to 13, 2026.
However, as the convention schedule has been affected, it appears increasingly certain that the dates may be postponed due to time constraints.
In this context, Paudel suggested that even if only three levels of the party’s eight-tier election process are completed for now, the party should still proceed with and complete the 15th general convention.
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