KATHMANDU, Aug 19: Nepali Congress (NC) President Gagan Kumar Thapa has ruled out any possibility of postponing the party’s 15th General Convention, saying it will be held in Kathmandu from October 2 to 5 despite pressure from the faction led by former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Addressing the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Monday, Thapa said the convention date had been fixed in accordance with the party statute and could not be postponed. He urged party leaders and cadres to proceed with the ward-level conventions without being distracted by the ongoing dispute.
Thapa also dismissed a meeting held in Kathmandu by the faction that stayed away from the Special General Convention in January, describing it as “meaningless and unjustified.” The dispute over the legitimacy of the party leadership is currently before the Supreme Court, adding another layer of uncertainty to the party’s preparations for the convention.
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Thapa also responded to criticism that the NC failed to secure the expected number of votes in the House of Representatives elections because of his leadership and public image.
“The suggestion that my image was the reason the votes did not come as expected, and that someone else could have secured more votes, has also been raised. It may be true,” he said. “If so, the issue can be settled at the general convention. One of our colleagues can compete against me for the party leadership and take over after defeating me.”
He challenged the dissenting faction to seek a change in leadership through the party’s democratic process rather than through parallel activities. Thapa said he was open to discussing the necessary procedures and conditions to ensure that the general convention was inclusive, fair and credible. “We have been saying all along that the convention must be based on everyone’s participation and fair competition,” he said.
Turning his attention to former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, Thapa accused those around him of giving him false assurances and misleading him about the party’s political situation. “You were given a respectful farewell at the Central Working Committee meeting on October 14. You were honored,” Thapa said, referring to Deuba. “But there were people who called you back and told you that everything was fine. They told you that Parliament was being reconstituted. You were lied to and misled.”
Thapa’s remarks come as the NC remains sharply divided over its leadership and the process leading to the general convention, with both factions seeking to establish their legitimacy ahead of the crucial organizational exercise.
The rival faction led by Deuba filed a review petition at the Supreme Court (SC) on July 23, challenging the court’s earlier ruling that upheld the Election Commission’s decision to recognize the Thapa-led central committee elected by the party’s Special General Convention.
The apex court’s decision on August 6 to admit the review petition has reopened one of the country’s most closely watched political and legal battles, raising fresh questions about the future of the party’s leadership. By allowing the review, the apex court agreed to reconsider its earlier ruling upholding the legality of the NC’s Special General Convention and the leadership elected through it.
The three-day national gathering organized by the Deuba faction recently in Kathmandu resolved to prioritize party unity while leaving the door open to an alternative political course if efforts to forge consensus within the party fail. The faction has insisted that the party’s new general convention must be held under the leadership of former President Deuba.
