KATHMANDU: Following the Election Commission’s official recognition of Gagan Thapa as Nepali Congress president, talks have started between major communist factions in Nepal.
On Friday, after the commission granted Thapa legitimacy, CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Communist Party Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal initiated discussions. The dialogue comes after the political landscape shifted with Thapa taking command of the Nepali Congress, despite prior discussions on a potential electoral alliance between Oli and Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Gagan Thapa has indicated he is not in favor of forming alliances with any party, having confirmed at the recent central committee meeting that the Nepali Congress will contest upcoming elections independently. With the path to an alliance with Nepali Congress blocked, the UML has turned to dialogue with the other communist faction, the NCP.
As part of this process, Oli reportedly met with Dahal in Chitwan on Friday evening during the inauguration of Bharatpur Metropolitan City’s new building. The conversation focused on jointly proposing a framework to address the impossibility of holding the March 5 House of Representatives election under the current conditions and to explore options for setting a new election date.
Meanwhile, the Deuba faction of Nepali Congress is considering filing a petition at the Supreme Court, which could delay direct election nominations scheduled for Magh 6. Large parties have warned that elections may not be feasible in 22 Himalayan districts from Taplejung to Darchula on March 5.
Separately, political parties have criticized the government’s announcement of the election date on September 12, 2025, noting that it violated constitutional provisions by not forming an interim government and instead having President Ram Chandra Paudel declare the date on the advice of Sushila Karki.
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