Kathmandu, Jan 12: Nepali Congress party workers and well-wishers gathered in thousands at Bhrikuti Mandap on Sunday for the party’s second Special General Convention.
Though the party leadership had warned members and workers not to take part in the special convention, which it termed illegal and lacking rationale, party members turned out in large numbers, giving rise to fears that the party is heading toward a deep internal split.
Organizers said more than 62 percent of elected delegates registered their presence, showing solid support for the special convention backed by General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma. The call for the gathering had come from over half of the delegates after pressure mounted following the Gen Z-led protest within the party.
Held amid sharp internal tensions, the convention highlighted growing demands for generational change and a rethink of the party’s political direction. Many grassroots participants said they saw the event as a chance to renew leadership and restore relevance, not as a fight between rival factions.
The program went ahead despite repeated warnings from party President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka, who had asked members to stay away and focus on unity ahead of the March 5 general elections. Leaders close to the establishment had also raised doubts about the legitimacy of the signature campaign that led to the special convention.
Several speakers urged senior leaders to join the event on the second day and help turn it into a turning point in the party’s history. Many criticized the current leadership for failing to read the mood of ordinary cadres and for ignoring growing frustration within the organization.
Dr Chandra Bhandari stood out as one of the strongest critics of President Deuba. He pointed to what he saw as a widening gap between leaders and the public, marked by comfort, privilege, and heavy security, and contrasted this with earlier political transitions where power was relinquished with far less resistance.
Former vice president Gopal Man Shrestha said his participation was not about seeking positions. He stressed the need to follow party statutes and argued that leadership should move to a younger generation. He warned that a weakened Nepali Congress would also weaken democracy.
Baitadi district president Chatur Bahadur Chand said the party had remained largely inactive for months and that the convention had helped revive it. He credited committed cadres for restoring momentum after the party lost ground following the Gen Z movement.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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