KATHMANDU: Former Education Minister Sumana Shrestha has entered into discussions with the leadership of the Nepali Congress. Talks are currently underway between Shrestha and leaders from the Congress faction led by Party President Gagan Thapa.
According to party sources, the dialogue began ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for filing House of Representatives candidacies and focuses on the possibility of Shrestha joining the party or forging electoral cooperation.
At present, the Nepali Congress leadership is engaged in intense negotiations over candidate selection. Party President Gagan Thapa, former President Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Dr. Shekhar Koirala are jointly reviewing candidate lists from all three factions to finalize nominees.
With only one day remaining before the candidacy filing deadline, a leader close to Thapa confirmed that discussions with Shrestha are ongoing. “The discussions circulating on social media are true, but nothing has been finalized yet,” the leader said. “Talks are still in progress, and a decision may be reached by tomorrow.”
Shrestha had resigned from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) following the Gen-Z movement on September 8–9, citing serious dissatisfaction with party chair Rabi Lamichhane’s leadership style. She had also raised strong objections to Lamichhane’s release from Nakhu Prison at the time.
After leaving RSP, Shrestha maintained close ties with a group led by then Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah. She also held discussions with Ujyalo Nepal Chair Kulman Ghising. There was speculation that she might return to RSP through Shah’s group, but Lamichhane reportedly declined to accommodate one of his strongest critics.
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