KATHMANDU, Oct 11: Nepali Congress (NC) leaders have defended party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, arguing that it is not yet time to seek his replacement. Deep divisions surfaced over party leadership and the upcoming general convention during a consultation meeting held on Friday, which included office bearers, former office bearers, and members of the Central Working Committee.
General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma maintained that the party cannot move forward under the current working committee led by Deuba and demanded an immediate general convention—or, if that is not possible, a special convention—to elect new leadership. Since the Gen Z uprising on September 8 and 9, they have been campaigning for leadership change and insist that the next election should take place under a new leadership team.
However, leaders close to President Deuba countered that seeking alternative leadership at this moment would be inappropriate. They argued that the party should move ahead while keeping both options—elections and possible parliamentary reinstatement—open. They warned that a special convention could weaken party unity and insisted that the next regular general convention should take place only after the upcoming election.
One leader who attended the meeting quoted former general secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula as saying, “Until yesterday, Sher Bahadur Deuba was right—how can he suddenly be wrong today? Why should he step down now?”
Leaders including Shekhar Koirala argued that with only two months left in the current four-year term, the party should move swiftly to hold its regular general convention through a short and clear process. Deuba’s loyalists, however, claimed that since the active membership process has not progressed, holding the convention within two months is not feasible. They also accused the membership committee led by General Secretary Thapa of failing to complete the membership renewal process.
While Sitaula had earlier supported the restoration of parliament, sources said he appeared somewhat flexible regarding elections during Friday’s meeting. However, he maintained that the election scheduled for March 5 would not be easy to conduct.
Senior leader Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said that the September 9 attack on Deuba and former Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba was an attack on democracy and the NC itself. He accused party office bearers of failing to respond responsibly to the assault on the party president, who, he recalled, had played a pivotal role in ensuring NC victories in 17 of the 18 constituencies in Sudurpaschim during the 1991 general elections.
Referring indirectly to Thapa and Sharma, Karki said that instead of uniting the party, some leaders were encouraging division and internal conflict.
Karki further argued that since the House of Representatives has already been dissolved and the election date announced, the party should focus on election preparations while keeping the option of parliamentary reinstatement open. He maintained that the regular general convention should take place only after the elections.
Party spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat said that as a party that trusts the people, the NC cannot avoid participating in the elections. However, he expressed serious doubts about whether a free and fair election could be held under the current circumstances. He also said that the party should consider reinstating parliament.
Opposing the idea of replacing Deuba, Mahat said Deuba had already announced that he would not seek another term and that the party statute prevents him from doing so. Therefore, leadership transfer should take place through the next regular general convention, he argued. Mahat also accused some decision-making members of weakening the party by engaging in divisive campaigns.
Leader Bal Bahadur KC also ruled out the possibility of an immediate convention, arguing that there was not enough time to organize it. Central Committee member Uma Regmi said that if holding the regular general convention was not feasible, the party should then opt for a special general convention.
Meanwhile, former general secretary Shashanka Koirala and other leaders stressed the need for broader unity within the party. They suggested that Deuba assign responsibilities to an acting president to move the party forward. Shashanka reportedly proposed this idea during a meeting with Deuba, citing both the party statute and current circumstances.
The consultation meetings, which began on Thursday under the chairmanship of Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka, aim to finalize the agenda for the Central Committee meeting set to begin on Sunday. President Deuba has reportedly sent a message through Khadka, urging leaders to finalize the agenda through consensus and move ahead in unity. However, consensus among the leaders has yet to be reached.