KATHMANDU: A widening rift between Gagan Thapa and Sher Bahadur Deuba is pushing the Nepali Congress (NC) toward a critical crossroads.
While Thapa moves forward with the 15th General Convention, Deuba is reasserting himself as party president from Chundevi and preparing a legal challenge to halt the convention, leaving the party’s future increasingly tied to both the Supreme Court and a possible political breakthrough.
Former Nepali Congress President Deuba has intensified his parallel activities within the party after setting up camp in Chundevi. Deuba, who returned to Nepal recently after spending five months abroad, has been meeting, communicating and holding discussions with leaders and cadres close to him.
As the Nepali Congress moves ahead with preparations for its 15th General Convention, pressure on Deuba has also increased. He has been holding consultations with leaders and cadres at his liaison office in Chundevi in his capacity as party president and met with several leaders and cadres on Sunday. Although he appears disappointed by recent developments, Deuba is working to consolidate his position within the party.
More than two weeks after his return to Nepal, Deuba continues to consult his allies about how to proceed after party President Gagan Thapa declined to meet him for discussions and consultations.
Nepali Congress General Secretary Pradeep Poudel also said that although he did not believe Deuba wanted to divide the party, the people advising him appeared to be pushing him in the wrong direction.
Thapa’s faction has come under increasing pressure following Deuba’s decision to establish a separate office in Chundevi and resume parallel activities in his capacity as president. Deuba’s attempt to reassert himself as the party’s legitimate president faces significant obstacles, however, as Thapa has received recognition from both the Supreme Court and the Election Commission.
Deuba now appears to have two options: seek to halt the 15th General Convention, which has been scheduled for October, or seek an early hearing on the Supreme Court’s review of the case. Deuba and then Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka filed a petition at the Supreme Court on Friday seeking an order to suspend all activities related to the 15th General Convention. The petition follows the Supreme Court’s decision to review the dispute within the Nepali Congress.
After receiving recognition from the Election Commission, the Thapa-led Nepali Congress also contested the March 5 elections. Had the party performed strongly in the election, the Deuba faction would have found it difficult to reassert itself. However, following the Congress’s defeat, along with Thapa’s loss, the Deuba faction has continued its efforts to regain influence.
The dispute over the special general convention held in the last week of Poush has also reached the courts, with the Deuba faction continuing to claim that it represents the legitimate leadership of the party.
Despite Deuba’s return to Nepal, however, Thapa’s faction has not initiated formal dialogue with him. Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak confirmed that there have been no discussions between the two sides.
“President Thapa should take the initiative to unite the party, but that has not happened. There has been no dialogue or discussion with us since Sher Bahadur Dai returned to Nepal. There has been no dialogue with other colleagues either,” Lekhak said. “He has already started activities related to the 15th General Convention. Whatever the court decides will determine how the remaining activities proceed.”
More after the court’s decision
With Thapa showing no sign of initiating dialogue, some leaders aligned with Deuba have begun openly hinting at the possibility of a party split. Congress leader Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat accused Thapa of attempting to move forward without the party’s senior leaders.
“They are trying to move forward on their own. They are concerned that if they take us along, they may not be able to retain their positions,” Mahat said. “The remaining decision will be made after the court’s ruling. We are preparing to file a writ on Monday seeking an immediate halt to the Nepali Congress general convention.”
The statements from Deuba-aligned leaders suggest that a split could become an option if the court does not recognize Deuba as the party’s president. Deuba himself, however, has not publicly announced any plan to divide the party.
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula said Thapa bears responsibility for taking the initiative to preserve party unity.
“Gagan Thapa should understand that the party must remain united. An appeal has been filed with the court, but he has continued with general convention activities. That is why the Congress is heading toward division,” Sitaula said. “We believe we will receive justice from the court. We will say more after the court’s decision.”
Deuba faction leaders, when asked why they have refused to accept Thapa as party president, accused him of failing to consult senior leaders or implement their recommendations.
“They are the ones who do not consult senior leaders, do not implement their suggestions and do not take initiatives to unite the Congress across the country,” one leader said. “Are we now expected to simply accept that? We have been asking them to listen to us and engage in dialogue and discussions. But even after Sher Bahadur Dai returned to Nepal, they have not entered into dialogue.”
‘We will prepare a new party and election symbol’
Kanchharam Tamang, a party leader, said preparations were already underway to establish a separate party and office if the court rules against Deuba.
“If the court makes arrangements in our favor, that is fine. If not, there is no possibility of these leaders accepting Gagan as president,” Tamang said. “I have already made arrangements for a party office, including the nameplate. If necessary, we will also begin the process of establishing a new party and securing a new election symbol.”
The dispute over the legitimacy of the Nepali Congress and the special general convention remains pending before the Supreme Court. The statements from Deuba-aligned leaders indicate that, if the court refuses to recognize Deuba as president, they are preparing to establish a separate party and continue their political activities independently.
At the heart of the dispute is the refusal by the Deuba faction to recognize Gagan Thapa as party president, as well as its rejection of the special general convention held in the last week of Poush as an officially recognized Congress convention.
Shekhar remains in contact with both factions
Another Nepali Congress influential leader, Dr. Shekhar Koirala, has been maintaining dialogue with both factions. Koirala and Deuba met on Friday, during which Deuba complained that Gagan Thapa had neither communicated with him nor contacted him to inquire about his health.
Koirala, who has been advocating party unity, urged Deuba to move forward by assuming the role of a senior guardian within the party.
According to Dinesh Chandra Thapaliya, a member of Koirala’s secretariat, the two leaders discussed the need to preserve party unity. Koirala also told Deuba that he was in contact with leaders close to Thapa.
“My main concern is that the party should remain united. I will support you with whatever advice is necessary. I am also in dialogue with Gagan Thapa,” Koirala told Deuba. “We should not allow the party to split. You should also show flexibility, and Gagan Thapa should move forward with flexibility as well.”
Deuba, meanwhile, complained that Thapa was unwilling to compromise or engage in dialogue with senior leaders.
He told Koirala that the Thapa faction was proceeding with preparations for the 15th General Convention without accommodating his faction and also informed him about plans to file a writ petition at the Supreme Court seeking to halt the convention process.
Deuba faction preparing to re-register writ today
The Deuba faction is preparing to file a writ petition at the Supreme Court seeking an order to suspend activities related to the 15th General Convention of the Nepali Congress. The petition, which was submitted for registration on Friday, was withdrawn after lawyers said some corrections were necessary.
Following discussions among senior leaders on Saturday, Deuba faction leaders said they were preparing to make the required amendments and re-register the petition on Monday.
Legal practitioners are reportedly reviewing the petition and making necessary revisions before submitting it again.
Nepali Congress leader NP Saud also said lawyers would proceed with registering the writ petition. Deuba and Purna Bahadur Khadka had initially approached the Supreme Court to register the case, although Khadka has said he was not involved in the process. Leaders from the establishment faction, however, have maintained that both Deuba and Khadka approached the court.
“Leaders misleading Deuba”
The Nepali Congress has already announced that its 15th General Convention will be held in October. During a Central Working Committee meeting earlier, the party formed various committees for the convention, while leaders have also begun preparing their respective reports.
Congress Vice President Pushpa Bhusal said that since the party has already advanced the process for the 15th General Convention, there is little scope to become entangled in disputes related to the 14th General Convention.
However, she said Deuba should take on the role of a senior leader and work to preserve party unity.
“For the sake of party unity, Deuba should remain above factional interests and work without simply following the advice of others. If he does that, the situation can still be managed,” Bhusal said. “Dai has established himself in Chundevi as president despite the decisions of the court and the Election Commission. He is getting caught up by following the advice of others.”
Leaders from the Deuba faction have argued that, as the current party president, Thapa should also take the initiative to open dialogue with the former president. Nepal Students’ Union leader Durjahang Sherpa, however, said both sides needed to demonstrate flexibility.
Earlier, NC President Thapa had also said that Deuba had been “misled by other leaders.” “Sher Bahadur Deuba has put up a nameplate identifying himself as president, and I have some concerns about that,” Thapa had said. “I believe that the people around you have already dragged you into trouble and could do so again. So, don’t simply follow what others tell you; remain above factional interests.”
Nepali Congress General Secretary Pradeep Poudel also said that although he did not believe Deuba wanted to divide the party, the people advising him appeared to be pushing him in the wrong direction.
“I believe Sher BahadurDeuba is still not in favor of dividing the party. However, we understand that the people advising him are leading him in the wrong direction,” Poudel said.
He argued that the legal dispute should be left to the courts and that the party should instead concentrate on organizing the 15th General Convention.
“We respect the court. The court has already reached a conclusion, and the appeal process will proceed in due course. We have nothing further to say about that. The legal dispute should now be left to the court,” he said.
Questioning Deuba’s decision to act as party president from Chundevi, Poudel asked, “Who appointed Deuba as president in Chundevi? If he intended to wait for the court’s decision, he should have remained silent. Therefore, these activities appear to be aimed at disrupting the 15th General Convention.”
Poudel said the Nepali Congress would fulfill its responsibility to ensure that the 15th General Convention is conducted successfully, fairly and transparently.
Gagan-Deuba meeting remains uncertain
Although there has been discussion about a meeting between Gagan Thapa’s faction and former president Sher Bahadur Deuba, no meeting has been finalized yet. Leaders from both sides say they have not agreed on a date or time for the two leaders to meet.
Poudel said he would meet Deuba at an appropriate time. “We are preparing for the meeting and are aware of his health condition. However, we have been busy with preparations for the 15th General Convention,” Poudel said. “We will meet our respected leader at an appropriate time.”
At present, the Nepali Congress is moving ahead with preparations for its 15th General Convention, while the dispute over the legitimacy and leadership arising from the special general convention remains before the court.
There is also discussion within the Congress that other actors may have contributed to preventing a meeting between Thapa and Deuba. Leaders from the Deuba faction, meanwhile, say they are waiting for Thapa to take the initiative and meet the former president.
On the other hand, Prakash Sharan Mahat said Thapa should meet Deuba and inquire about his health.
“Gagan has not yet met Sher Bahadur Deuba. What kind of political practice is this? People can judge for themselves,” Mahat said. “Shouldn’t they at least ask how Deuba is doing after returning to Nepal and whether he is well? That is part of our political culture.”
Leaders from the Deuba faction have argued that, as the current party president, Thapa should also take the initiative to open dialogue with the former president. Nepal Students’ Union leader Durjahang Sherpa, however, said both sides needed to demonstrate flexibility.
“Both sides should be flexible, but Gagan, as the party president, should take the lead in showing flexibility. He should meet former president Deuba and discuss dialogue, consultation and party unity. That is our suggestion,” Sherpa said.
Sherpa said the dispute within the Congress was not inherently very serious but had become increasingly complicated because the two sides had failed to compromise.
“The dispute within the Congress is not very big. But it has reached this point because the leaders have not shown flexibility toward one another. Gagan Thapa and Sher Bahadur Deuba should reconcile,” he said.
At present, the Nepali Congress is moving ahead with preparations for its 15th General Convention, while the dispute over the legitimacy and leadership arising from the special general convention remains before the court. Thapa’s faction is preparing to hold the general convention as scheduled, while the Deuba faction is actively considering its political options as it awaits the court’s decision.
Meanwhile, formal dialogue between the two factions has yet to begin. Second-tier Congress leaders have emphasized the need for communication, compromise and flexibility to prevent a possible party split. However, with the distance between the top leaders continuing, the eventual outcome appears likely to depend on both the court’s ruling and the political dialogue that follows.
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