Ujjwal Satyal

Tensions escalated on Wednesday after the Central Work Performance Committee, dominated by the party’s establishment faction, formally urged members who had demanded the convention to withdraw their signatures.

Commission member Bigyan Raj Sharma told Republia that the commission recorded Oli’s written statement at his temporary residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, and that the process took nearly two hours.

Dr Koirala’s position is expected to weaken the camp advocating a special convention, led by General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma. On Friday, the Central Work Performance Committee (CWPC) decided to convene the party’s regular General Convention from May 11 to 14 aft...

The new proposal was tabled by invoking Article 43 of the party statute, formally pushing the convention date beyond the upcoming election. A Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting, however, still needs to ratify the date.

Immediately after the Gen Z protests on September 8–9, around 54 percent of convention representatives submitted signatures to Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka, demanding a special general convention.

The angered cadres were further infuriated after party President Sher Bahadur Deuba told some journalists close to him that a Special General Convention was not possible under the current circumstances.

“A total of 60 parties have deposited the required security deposits to file their PR names with us,” Suman Ghimire, information officer at the EC, told Republica as of 10:00 PM on Monday. 

The setback comes despite a series of high-level political engagements among the three leaders, who are often viewed as leaders of emerging alternative forces to Nepal’s traditional parties. 

The 19th Elephant and Tourism Festival in Sauraha has drawn praise from tourism promoters while facing strong criticism from animal rights activists, who label it outdated and inhumane.

Bhandari said preparations for the national polls were already in an advanced stage and dismissed lingering speculation over whether the election would be held.