KATHMANDU: Internal tensions within the Nepali Congress have intensified, with the faction led by former party President Sher Bahadur Deuba refusing to recognise Gagan Thapa as the party’s President .
Although Deuba is currently abroad, a gathering of leaders close to him began on Tuesday under the leadership of acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka at a hotel in Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu.
The meeting comes amid growing concerns of a potential split in the party following the election results of March 5. Leaders claim that 123 members elected to the central working committee during the party’s 14th general convention are participating in the gathering.
Central committee member Man Bahadur Nepali said 15 leaders had already expressed their views during the discussions that began on Tuesday.
‘Special convention was merely a drama’
Speaking at the meeting, Nepali described the special convention held in Poush as a “drama”. He questioned what forces were influencing Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma.
He alleged that the two leaders acted under the influence of certain power centres, sidelining a section of the party, which he said contributed to the party’s poor performance in the Falgun 21 elections.
Nepali claimed that his faction had set aside internal disputes while contesting the election.
“After the Election Commission of Nepal granted legitimacy to Gagan Thapa’s faction, we kept internal issues aside until the election concluded,” he said, adding that Thapa and Sharma had made no efforts for dialogue, negotiation or consensus since then.
Warning of intensified internal struggle
Nepali warned that the faction could escalate internal resistance if what he described as pressure, intimidation and unilateral decisions continue.
He also stressed that Thapa’s group should take the party’s heavy electoral defeat seriously.
Dispute over proportional representation list
Acting President Khadka also raised concerns over the selection of candidates under the proportional representation system. He accused Thapa of altering the list and violating existing laws.
Khadka claimed that instead of sending both a male and female representative from a backward region, only one male candidate had been nominated.
Refusal to recognise Thapa as President
Leaders attending the meeting stated that they would not recognise Thapa as party chair until the Supreme Court of Nepal delivers a final verdict regarding the party’s official leadership.
Nepali alleged that Thapa had signed the list of candidates for the March 5 election under the first-past-the-post system in violation of the party’s constitution and established procedures.
Leaders at the meeting also questioned the legitimacy of the special convention, claiming it was held forcefully in violation of the regular convention schedule.
The discussion is expected to continue on Wednesday, with the Deuba faction indicating it will intensify internal consultations—further deepening divisions within the party.
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