Kathmandu, Oct 25: Leaders who submitted signatures demanding a “special general convention” of the Nepali Congress to Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka are now in a wait-and-see mode as the Central Working Committee meeting continues.
Although signatories initially pressed for a special convention, many have clarified that their top priority remains holding the regular general convention. Most committee members speaking in the ongoing meeting also appear to support the regular convention, though the timing has become the key dispute.
The faction led by General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, along with Dr Shekhar Koirala, insists the regular convention must be completed by the end of Mangsir, when the current central committee’s term expires. The establishment side, however, argues that the convention should take place in Baisakh if national elections are held in Fagun, or in Fagun if not.
As tensions build, the dissident camp has begun preparing to call a special assembly if the date for the regular convention is not announced by Mangsir-end. This move has raised fears within the party of a potential split reminiscent of past divisions.
In an effort to calm tempers, leaders Ghimire and Devraj Chalise met Dr Koirala on Thursday. During the meeting, Koirala urged both to act responsibly to avoid a repeat of 2059 BS, when Sher Bahadur Deuba’s “special gathering” led to a split in the party.
“Koirala reminded us how the 2059 special meeting resulted in a new party,” Ghimire said. “He advised unity in this crisis and urged us to pressure the central committee to hold the regular convention instead of escalating confrontation.”
According to Ghimire, Dr Koirala stressed that party unity is vital for safeguarding the constitution, democracy, and the nation. He added that the delegates signed the petition not to divide the party but to strengthen it, bring in new leadership, and reinforce internal democracy. “If our demand is dismissed as weakness, the special assembly could become unavoidable, and its outcome unpredictable,” Ghimire warned.
Dr Koirala has consistently maintained that a special convention should be held only if the regular one fails to take place. Ghimire accused the establishment of misinterpreting their demand as unnecessary, saying it simply seeks to implement provisions already stated in the party statute. He claimed their initiative was “a precise tool to solve the party’s internal crisis.”
Responding to the establishment’s argument that the tenure of convention delegates has expired, Ghimire questioned the logic: “If delegates’ terms are over, how can other committees still function? The term can be considered expired only after dissolving ward, municipal, and provincial committees. It’s inconsistent to say others remain active while delegates’ terms have ended.”
The internal dispute has again exposed deep divisions within the Nepali Congress, with both factions emphasizing party unity publicly but maneuvering strategically to gain the upper hand before the next convention.

  • People's News Monitoring Service