KATHMANDU, Aug 7: A day after the Supreme Court decided to reopen the high-profile dispute over the official recognition of the Nepali Congress (NC), the party's establishment faction said it respects every legal process of the court while vowing to continue its organizational and political campaign.
In a statement issued on Friday, NC General Secretary Gururaj Ghimire said the leadership dispute had entered the review stage at the Supreme Court and stressed the party's commitment to the rule of law and judicial independence. "Guided by the belief that our commitment to the rule of law and an independent judiciary must be reflected not only in words but also in practice, we respect every legal process of the Court," Ghimire said.
At the same time, he maintained that the current leadership enjoys the backing of an overwhelming majority of the party's General Convention delegates and derives its legitimacy from the Special General Convention. "The current direction of the Nepali Congress has been shaped by the confidence of the overwhelming majority of the General Convention delegates, the legitimate mandate of the Special General Convention, and our collective commitment to transforming the party," the statement said.
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Ghimire said the ongoing legal proceedings would not affect the party's efforts to strengthen its organization, deepen internal democracy, promote good governance and restore public trust. "While the legal process will take its own course, our campaign to strengthen the organization, deepen internal democracy, promote good governance, and restore public trust will not stop under any circumstances. Instead, it will gain even greater momentum," he said.
Referring to the internal dispute within the party, Ghimire emphasized that democracy requires acceptance of differing opinions rather than allowing disagreements to evolve into prolonged conflicts. He said dialogue, institutional mechanisms and the party statute remain the strongest foundations of a democratic party, adding that accepting institutional decisions only when they are favorable weakens institutions and encourages personality-driven politics.
Calling for unity within the party, Ghimire urged leaders, members and supporters to rise above personal interests and work collectively for the party's future. "What the Nepali Congress needs today is not a debate over division, but a commitment to unity; not politics driven by distrust, but leadership committed to transformation," he said.
The statement came a day after the Supreme Court agreed to review its earlier verdict recognizing the party's Special General Convention and current leadership, reviving the legal battle over the NC's official recognition. The court's decision has renewed uncertainty over the party's leadership while reopening one of the country's most closely watched political disputes.
