Kathmandu, March 31: Nepal’s Congress party has slipped back into internal conflict after a brief show of unity during the elections as the establishment-opposition faction moves ahead with parallel activities.
The rift resurfaced after the arrest of former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. In response, leader Purna Bahadur Khadka, representing the rival faction, stated his capacity as acting president, dragging the party’s internal dispute back into the open.
The two sides appear to view the Lekhak arrest through completely different lenses. The dissident faction has taken a hardline stance, while the establishment camp has responded more cautiously.
From the very day of Lekhak’s arrest, the dissident faction began operating in what looks like an official party mode. At this point, the political scene almost suggests the existence of two separate Congress parties.
After the leadership elected through the special general convention received official recognition from the Election Commission, Khadka issued a statement using the party’s official letterhead in his role as acting president.
Meanwhile, the party’s official statement avoided even mentioning Lekhak by name. It described the government’s recent move as “selective” but made it clear that no protest programs would be launched against it.
However, after Gagan Thapa was elected party president through the special convention, Khadka issued a strongly worded statement under the title of acting president for the first time. Though the establishment camp appeared soft on the issue, his statement sharply criticized the government’s actions.
Khadka also urged party leaders and cadres to stay prepared to face any political situation in the days ahead. The statement noted that the party would oppose the arrest on constitutional, legal, and political grounds.
Even as the establishment faction has moved the Supreme Court following the Election Commission’s recognition of the new leadership, the rival faction has continued its parallel activities without waiting for a final court verdict.
As part of these parallel moves, the faction organised a congratulatory program on Monday for newly elected members of both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly.
The event was addressed by Khadka and leader Shekhar Koirala. It saw participation from top leaders close to Sher Bahadur Deuba and Koirala.
In the elections, the Congress secured 18 seats under the first-past-the-post system and 20 under proportional representation in the House of Representatives. It also has nine newly elected members in the National Assembly.
Among them, 16 lawmakers—10 from the House of Representatives and six from the National Assembly—attended the event held at Hotel Smart in Dhumbarahi to receive congratulations. A notable number of existing National Assembly members were also present.
Following Khadka’s statement as acting president, discussions emerged within the party regarding the renewal of his active membership. Some leaders have warned that he could face disciplinary action if he continues these parallel activities.
Despite that, Khadka has effectively challenged the party leadership by calling a meeting of the Central Working Committee elected from the 14th General Convention in his capacity as acting president.
Sources close to him confirmed that the meeting has been scheduled for 11 am Tuesday at Hotel Smart in Dhumbarahi and is expected to continue through Wednesday. Central committee member Guru Baral said he has already been informed about the meeting.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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