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By Our Political Analyst

The Nepali Congress is passing through one of the most testing moments in its long political life. On January 11 and 12, one faction of the party gathered in Kathmandu for a Special General Convention, openly defying the party establishment. They claimed that more than 63 per cent of members of Congress Mahasamiti, the party’s top body, participated in the special convention, which is indeed hinted that the nation’s oldest democratic party is staring at a split. What once looked like routine internal friction has now turned into a full-blown power struggle between the party president and the two general secretaries. Ego, mistrust, and competing ambitions have pushed dialogue to the edge. The scars from the unrest of early September 2025 have not healed, yet the party has chosen confrontation over repair.

The timing has deepened the sense of crisis. While rival parties have already fixed March 5, 2026, as their election focus and begun preparations, the Congress remains locked in internal battles. The non-establishment camp accuses the leadership of paralysis, no manifesto, no ground mobilisation, no readiness to face voters. For the first time in years, the party appears divided not only by leaders but by outlook. This is no longer a private disagreement among a few figures. It has spilled into the streets, party offices, and public perception.

In the past, Congress splits were often framed as personal disputes. Leaders broke away, formed factions, then returned. This time feels different. The party is larger, its base more varied, and loyalty more fragile. After the end of authoritarian rule, the Congress expanded rapidly, absorbing diverse groups and interests. Growth brought strength, but also loosened discipline. Factional bargaining, often reduced to a sixty forty formula, became normal. What is new now is the open challenge to authority by a majority of convention delegates, reportedly more than half, who demanded the special convention and felt ignored.

Behind this rebellion lies a wider social shift. The Gen Z protests of September 8 and 9, 2025, marked a turning point in national politics. Young people who had stayed away from party activity took to the streets against corruption, nepotism, disorder, and political indifference. Some paid with their lives. The anger did not appear overnight. Years of broken promises, rising migration, joblessness, and visible inequality had built pressure. When the state tried to curb online voices instead of listening, frustration turned into protest.

The Congress struggled to respond. Its silence when students were killed damaged its moral standing. Inside the party, many began to ask hard questions. Can the Congress face young voters with the same faces and habits. Can it defend democracy while avoiding debate within its own ranks. The push for the special convention was driven by a belief that without reform, the party would lose relevance.

This crisis also holds opportunity. The convention has forced open debates on leadership renewal, candidate selection, and policy clarity. It has challenged the idea that unity means obedience. At the same time, risks remain high. If office bearers emerge from a process rejected by the establishment, a formal split becomes possible. Tensions at party offices and threats of physical obstruction show how fragile the moment is.

Still, history offers perspective. Parties that split rarely thrive for long. Reunification has often followed, driven by electoral reality. The Congress now stands at a choice point. It can absorb Gen Z concerns, promote clean and capable leaders, and present itself as a democratic option distinct from left alliances. Or it can retreat into old power games and pay the price at the polls.

The public still wants a united Congress, but goodwill alone will not save it. Listening, reform, and restraint will. The special convention has shaken the party. Whether it breaks it or reshapes it will depend on what leaders do next.