KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to hold its 15th General Convention from May 11 to 14, settling an intense internal dispute over whether to convene a special general convention ahead of the upcoming elections.
The revised schedule, proposed by NC Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka, was endorsed at a meeting of the Central Working Performance Committee held in Sanepa on Friday. The meeting also approved Khadka’s proposal to extend the term of the working committee elected by the 14th General Convention until mid-June.
Former General Secretary Dr. Shashank Koirala confirmed that both proposals presented by Acting President Khadka were passed. The meeting endorsed the proposal after General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma announced plans to convene a special general convention, including booking a hall at Bhrikutimandap as the venue.
However, five leaders, including General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwoprakash Sharma, have expressed differing views on the Central Working Committee’s decision to hold the party’s 15th General Convention from May 11 to 14.
Amid growing concerns of a possible split within the party over the proposed special general convention, the establishment pushed through its decision to hold the regular general convention only after the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5.
The 15th General Convention could not be held on time triggering a major internal dispute within the party. With the establishment now formally fixing the dates for next year, attention has turned to how General Secretaries Thapa and Sharma.
While Thapa and Sharma had declared a special general convention after postponing the regular one, the establishment, which holds a majority in both the Central Executive and the Central Working Committee, has rejected that move and instead approved a proposal to hold the regular general convention next year.
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