KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress leader Kalyan Gurung has publicly taken a firm stand against what he describes as misleading campaigns, confusion, and internal disagreements surrounding the party’s proposed special general convention.
Speaking at a program in Kathmandu, Gurung claimed that attempts to project a special general convention as the only solution were intentional and agenda-driven, insisting that the party has multiple alternatives available.
Gurung argued that Article 179(20), the provision under which the special general convention has been demanded, clearly requires the signatures of 40 percent of the convention representatives. He urged the party to immediately begin verification and authentication of those signatures.
According to Gurung, a clear process, criteria, and an office-bearers’ committee are mandatory to conduct the verification. “Our initial assessment shows that the signatures may not even reach 25 percent,” he remarked.
He also criticized General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, saying there was widespread concern that they were not sincere about the special general convention. Their absence from Thursday’s event at the National Assembly Hall, he said, has further intensified doubts among party members.
Gurung claimed that only 70 to 80 representatives were present at the program and that many of them were not even convention representatives, an issue he highlighted as evidence of weak groundwork by those advocating the special general convention. He added that several leaders within the initiative itself were divided and directionless. “Publishing a press release without signatures shows a lack of coordination among them,” he said.
Stating that the proposal will be automatically void if it fails to secure 40 percent signatures, Gurung demanded separate regulations, procedures, an investigation committee, and structural preparations to implement Article 179(20) if it is to be pursued.
He also presented a 15-point action plan, calling for greater youth inclusion, formation of a performance committee and a central parliamentary committee, and the immediate publication of candidate lists for both the National Assembly and the House of Representatives. He stressed that the party should decide not to form an electoral alliance with any party.
Gurung dismissed the belief that Article 179(20) could be used to change leadership, calling it a “deep-rooted misconception.” The provision, he said, is meant for exceptional policy shifts, not leadership replacement. “Trying to use it for leadership change is against the spirit of the statute,” he asserted.
He questioned whether the proponents wanted a work schedule or a full 15th General Convention. Without resolving the issue of active membership, he added, any convention is impossible. “Membership verification must be completed before anything else,” he said.
Stating that no one in the party is afraid of a special general convention, Gurung warned that tactics aimed at creating fear to secure personal gains would not be acceptable. He urged party members to focus on policy clarity, a defined schedule, and organizational preparedness instead.
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