The Nepali Congress (NC) is facing internal divisions at a time when it can least afford them. The March 5 elections exposed the party’s weak performance, with only 38 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives. These results reflected growing public dissatisfaction with the party, which has been gripped by internal rifts that became more glaring after the Gen Z movement. After the rival group led by Gagan Thapa organized a special convention and elected a new working committee under his leadership, the rift deepened further. A party that had remained at the forefront of almost all democratic struggles in Nepal suddenly looks unsure of its own direction. Then came the arrest of former Home Minister and one of its prominent leaders, Ramesh Lekhak, which cracked open whatever thin layer of unity remained in the party. One side chose caution, avoiding even naming Lekhak in its official statement while calling the government’s move selective. The other side reacted sharply. Purna Bahadur Khadka stepped in as acting president and issued a strong statement, setting the tone for what now looks like parallel party operations under the same banner. This has reflected an unusual tension between the establishment camp associated with Sher Bahadur Deuba and the reformist push led by Thapa.
Better late
What makes the situation worse is the choice to act first and resolve later. Khadka’s use of official letterhead, the call for a Central Working Committee meeting, and the organization of separate events all signal a deliberate move to project authority. Meanwhile, the establishment faction has taken the legal route, approaching the Supreme Court after the Election Commission recognized the new leadership. Both paths may be defensible on paper; together, they create confusion on the ground. Party workers are left guessing which line to follow, while the public watches a familiar drama unfold. At some point, someone has to admit that a party cannot claim to challenge the government while struggling to keep its house in order. It also cannot ask voters for trust while moving toward what looks like a slow-motion split. The parallel activities of the Deuba faction and the hardliners from the Thapa group will only weaken the party’s standing, especially when a newer force like the Rastriya Swatantra Party has already capitalized on public frustration with traditional players. The oldest democratic party in the nation now risks eroding its own legacy through avoidable infighting.
A victory for either side at the cost of unity would feel hollow and likely short-lived. Leaders on both sides need to step back and think beyond immediate advantage. A workable middle ground exists if they choose to seek it. That means recognizing the legitimacy concerns raised by each camp, agreeing on a clear chain of command, and presenting a united political line, especially on sensitive issues like arrests and state action. It also means accepting that renewal and experience are not enemies. Let us hope that the party’s regular convention, slated for October this year, will resolve the ongoing crisis. The party now stands at a point where personal and factional egos could easily outweigh sound judgment. That would be a costly mistake. For a political force like the Nepali Congress, unity matters most. Unity among its leaders will not only keep the party afloat but also give it a strong voice in national politics and state affairs. A win-win approach, therefore, is the only way to prevent the party from sliding further and surrendering to rivals without a fight. At this testing time, every Congress member should be reminded that the party has stood united during every national crisis, and its historic achievements were made possible through unity.
