KATHMANDU: Talks have begun among the Nepali Congress establishment faction, the special convention camp and the group led by senior leader Dr Shekhar Koirala to resolve the ongoing internal standoff in the party.
The negotiations started a short while ago at the residence of party President Sher Bahadur Deuba. Representing the establishment side are Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka, Ramesh Lekhak and Bal Krishna Khand. From the special convention side, leaders Pradip Paudel, Gururaj Ghimire, Madhu Acharya and Devaraj Chalise are taking part, while Jivan Pariyar and Dr Minendra Rijal are representing the Shekhar Koirala camp.
Earlier on Monday afternoon, Dr Koirala had held discussions with General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma and proposed forming a committee to create an environment for dialogue among the rival factions.
A total of 54 percent of Congress convention delegates had demanded a special convention. However, after the establishment faction led by President Deuba attempted to suppress the move, General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma went ahead and called the special convention. A majority of convention representatives have already joined the process, putting the establishment side under growing pressure.
The special convention was inaugurated on Sunday and entered into a closed session on Monday, where a proposal to dissolve the party’s Central Committee has been tabled. With it now clear that most delegates support the special convention, the establishment faction has been forced to come to the negotiating table.
Following the establishment side’s engagement in talks, the schedule of the special convention has been extended beyond Monday. The party has also called a meeting of the Central Working Committee for today. Although it was initially scheduled for 11 am at the party headquarters in Sanepa, central members aligned with the special convention have said they will not attend the meeting.
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