KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) is facing intense internal turmoil, primarily over whether to hold a special general convention immediately or proceed with a regular general convention only after the March 5 elections to the House of Representatives (HoR).
While General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma have been pushing for an immediate special general convention, senior leaders close to party President Sher Bahadur Deuba remain firmly opposed to the idea.
The dispute intensified after 54 percent of the party’s general convention delegates submitted a signed letter to Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka demanding a special general convention. Since then, the issue has deepened divisions within the party.
Leaders from the Deuba faction met on Sunday and concluded that the rationale for holding a special general convention ended on the same day the party announced the schedule for its regular general convention.
Bimalendra Nidhi, who attended the meeting, said the establishment group had agreed to take ownership of the decision made by the party’s Working Performance Committee on Friday and to invalidate the general secretaries’ push for a special convention.
According to leaders, holding both a special and a regular general convention would further weaken the party and harm its electoral prospects. They have agreed to urge the general secretaries to accept the party’s decision and focus on election preparations. They also plan to ask district presidents to persuade general convention representatives not to attend any special convention meeting.
“Since dividing the party between a special and a regular general convention would further damage our election prospects, we have decided to nullify the special convention move,” Nidhi said.
“We will urge the general secretaries to accept the party’s decision and begin election preparations, and reassure the general convention representatives who signed the proposal that there will be no discrimination within the party.”
According to party leaders, the Deuba camp is also preparing to pressure leaders at all levels, through their respective contact presidents, to abandon plans for a special general convention. President Deuba is expected to directly urge the general secretaries to do the same, and Monday’s Working Performance Committee meeting is likely to formalize this position.
“The justification for a special general convention no longer exists,” Nidhi said, adding that leaders across the country have been urged not to come to Kathmandu and instead concentrate on election work.
Meanwhile, the general secretaries remain determined to pursue the special general convention. They have said they will wait for Monday’s Working Performance Committee meeting before taking further action, but have warned that if the leadership refuses to convene a special convention, they will proceed independently.
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