KATHMANDU, Oct 10: Nepali Congress (NC) leaders have argued that the party must hold its regular general convention to address the country’s recent political crisis. During a meeting of current and former office-bearers at the party’s central office in Sanepa on Thursday—the first since the Gen Z uprising on September 8–9—leaders emphasized the need for a swift and streamlined convention process.
While General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma have been engaged in a signature campaign to push for a special convention, other leaders opposed the idea. They argued that since the party's regular general convention is only two months away, as per the statute, there is no need for a special convention.
They argued that the upcoming Central Committee meeting should pave the way for a quick convention. Recalling that the party held its 11th general convention even under the direct rule of the king and during the Maoist insurgency, leaders emphasized the importance of contesting elections with a new leadership team.
Leaders said that discussing a special convention for a soon-to-end Central Committee term is meaningless and that the party should finalize active membership and proceed with the convention immediately. Deputy General Secretary Badri Pandey noted that if there is a collective will, the regular convention could be held within two months. He emphasized the need for new leadership ahead of elections, highlighting that public and cadre distrust toward senior leaders had grown after the recent turmoil.
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The pro-special convention camp, led by Thapa and Sharma, maintained that if a regular convention cannot be held within the next two months, a special convention should be conducted to select new leadership. They argued that the party cannot progress under President Sher Bahadur Deuba and that they were unwilling to move forward under his leadership.
Deputy General Secretaries Umakant Chaudhary and Mahendra Yadav questioned the secretaries’ signature campaign, accusing them of pushing the party toward division during a time of national and party crisis. They criticized the secretaries for acting as if they were running a separate party.
According to a leader present at the meeting, General Secretaries Thapa and Sharma stated that a special convention was only being considered as a second option if a regular convention could not be held. However, Deputy General Secretaries Yadav and Chaudhary accused the secretaries of actively pushing the party toward division by raising the issue of a special convention.
Former Vice-President Bimlendra Nidhi urged Thapa and Sharma to halt the signature campaign, noting that Deuba had already committed to a leadership transition and that the party statute prohibits re-contesting. Arguing that the party should proceed with a regular general convention, he suggested that, for immediate operational purposes, the vice-president should be assigned acting responsibility in consultation with President Deuba.
Emphasizing that the party should focus on the election scheduled for March 5, he argued that the party must clarify its expectations from the government and the Election Commission and appeal to both voters and party workers to be prepared for the polls.
Opposing the idea of reinstating parliament, he said, “Prime minister, formed with the help of Congress, already said he was powerless and resigned, bringing back the same parliament would only intensify conflicts.”
Deputy General Secretary Yadav also stressed the need to focus on the upcoming election, while another Deputy General Secretary, Chaudhary, argued that NC should keep both options—parliament reinstatement and elections—open.
At the meeting, leader Shekhar Koirala noted that he has long advocated for holding regular and timely general conventions. With just a few months left before four years since the last convention, he emphasized the need to conduct the next convention promptly and efficiently.
Analyzing recent developments, Koirala suggested that the party should move forward after carefully assessing the situation. Central Committee member Arjun Narasingh KC highlighted that the party statute provides a provision for a special convention, asserting that the move would be both lawful and consistent with the party statute. He also stressed the need for leadership change, according to a participant.
At the beginning of the meeting, Vice-President Purna Bahadur Khadka informed participants that coordination with President Deuba had been made to hold a meeting. He added that Deuba requested a shared agenda be agreed upon at the Central Committee meeting scheduled to begin on October 12. As the turn for speaking by office-bearers and former office-bearers was not completed, the meeting will reconvene on Friday at 1 PM, during which the Central Committee agenda will be finalized, leaders said.
