Kathmandu, December 1: The dispute within the Nepali Congress regarding when to hold the party’s 15th General Convention has finally been resolved after one and a half months. The meeting of the Central Working Committee held on Monday at the party’s central office in Sanepa made a unanimous decision to hold the General Convention from Poush 26 to 28 (January 11–13, 2026).
A great deal of back-and-forth took place among the leaders before reaching a unanimous decision on the General Convention.
On Asoj 28 (October 14, 2025), while starting the Central Working Committee meeting and submitting a written statement, President Sher Bahadur Deuba assigned Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka the responsibility of Acting President. On Bhadra 24 (September 9, 2025), during the Gen Z movement, Deuba was beaten nearly to death at his own residence in Budhanilkantha. Later, citing health reasons, he handed over responsibility to Khadka, but he himself had to become actively involved behind the scenes to resolve the dispute over the General Convention.
From Asoj 28 to Mangsir 15 (October 14 to November 30, 2025), the meeting was held for 13 days, during which leaders presented their views for and against holding the Convention. There were two proposed schedules: one to hold the Convention before the House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21 (March 5, 2026), and another to hold it after the election.
In the Central Working Committee meeting on Kartik 19(November 4, 2025), General Secretary Gagan Thapa presented a schedule to hold the party’s 15th General Convention from Poush 16 to 19 (January 1–4, 2026). On the same day, Deputy General Secretary Mahendra Yadav countered with a proposal to hold the Convention from Baisakh 27 to 30 (May 9–12, 2026).
Thapa’s schedule was supported by General Secretary Bishwaprakash Sharma and some leaders from other groups, while Yadav’s schedule was supported by leaders from the establishment faction.
After both sides began criticizing each other, Acting President Khadka had to clarify at the Central Committee meeting that both schedules were personal proposals. In the meeting on Kartik 20 (November 5, 2025), Khadka clearly stated that both timelines were personal.
To find consensus on this dispute, notices were repeatedly issued calling for Central Working Committee meetings, but they had to be postponed eight times. Khadka held repeated discussions with office bearers from the Executive Committee and with those insisting on holding the Convention before or after the election. However, he could not find a way forward.
When it became clear Khadka could not resolve the deadlock, President Deuba—who had delegated authority—became active behind the scenes. From Thursday onward, Deuba engaged in multiple rounds of discussions, persuaded the leaders, and Monday’s meeting brought forth the schedule to hold the regular General Convention from Poush 26 to 28 (January 11–13, 2026). Deuba introduced a middle-path proposal accommodating both sides and instructed everyone to agree on it.
The demand submitted for a Special General Convention played a major role in bringing forward the decision to hold the Convention before the election.
The day after the Central Working Committee meeting began with a demand for a Special General Convention, 2,488 General Convention delegates submitted a signed letter to Acting President Khadka. Clause 17(2) of the party statute requires that if 40 percent of General Convention delegates demand a Special General Convention with signatures, it must be conducted within three months. The three-month deadline from the date signatures were submitted falls on Poush 28(January 13, 2026). Accordingly, the Central Working Committee meeting on Monday passed the schedule to complete the regular General Convention on that same date.
People’s News Monitoring Service.
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