KATHMANDU: Nepal’s oldest political party, the Nepali Congress, has long been embroiled in internal conflicts surrounding its active membership, a fundamental aspect of its organizational structure.
These disputes, rooted in the distribution of active membership from the central to ward levels, have led to tensions prior to each general convention, with the most significant fallout beginning from the 12th general convention.
To become a member of the Nepali Congress’s working committees, ranging from the ward level to the central level, one must hold active membership. Representatives for the party’s general conventions are chosen from this pool of active members, who, in turn, vote to elect the party’s leadership.
However, disagreements over who qualifies as an active member have caused significant rifts within the party.
The conflict over active membership dates back to the 12th general convention, which set off a chain reaction of disputes that have persisted through the 13th and 14th conventions.
Despite attempts to resolve the issue, including promises from leaders like Sushil Koirala, the party has continued to struggle with membership irregularities. Even before the 12th convention, the dispute had halted the distribution of new active memberships, leaving unresolved tensions that carried into subsequent leadership selections.
The issue took a turn during the 13th and 14th general conventions, which led to a reduction in the number of active members. It has now been over 15 years since the issue began, and with the 15th general convention on the horizon, the Nepali Congress aims to settle the matter once and for all.
To address this, the party formed the ‘Active Membership Management Committee,’ led by General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa.
The committee includes central members Sita Gurung, Yogendra Chaudhary, and Prakash Rasaili, and has been tasked with resolving the ongoing issues before the 15th general convention, set for December 2025.
The Nepali Congress’s statute, under Article 43, allows for the extension of the term of office bearers for up to one year under exceptional circumstances, but such a move has not been definitively enacted. This extension may be crucial for ensuring the convention proceeds without further disputes.
The Nepali Congress statute distinguishes between two types of membership: regular membership and active membership.
To qualify for active membership, a person must have been a member for at least one year and demonstrate adherence to the party’s ideals and policies. The application process involves filling out forms through the ward working committee, where members must pay a prescribed fee to apply for active membership.
However, within the party, factionalism and sub-factionalism have hindered members from gaining or renewing their active membership. Allegations have surfaced regarding the obstruction of active membership renewals, especially in districts with internal political disputes.
General Secretary Thapa addressed these concerns during a recent provincial-level program in Pokhara, where he pointed out that despite requests for membership renewals being made over two years ago, the process remains stalled.
As part of its efforts to streamline the process, the Active Membership Management Committee has set a deadline for renewing active memberships by April. Any memberships not renewed by then will be deemed invalid.
Thapa also highlighted that memberships received by the district working committee will be frozen if they fail to comply with the deadlines. The process will then be directly handled at the regional level.
The party has also set a timeline for amending the party statute. A committee to draft these amendments will be formed within January, with the goal of completing the amendments within four months. Following this, the distribution of new active memberships will begin, subject to the revised statute.
The renewal of active membership is governed by a clear procedural framework. Members wishing to renew their status must submit their application annually to the ward working committee, which must then follow a detailed process to verify eligibility. This includes recommendations from local committees, provincial bodies, and finally, the district working committee.
The district working committee, after reviewing these recommendations, has one month to make a final decision. If the application is approved, the member receives a certificate of active membership, signed by the party’s central, provincial, and district leaders.
Despite these provisions, ongoing delays and disputes have led to growing frustration within the party’s rank and file. General Secretary Thapa has made it clear that the Nepali Congress will take swift action to resolve these issues, with membership renewals expected to be completed by April and a new statute in place by the summer.
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