KATHMANDU, Jan 18: The Nepali Congress (NC) Central Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unveiled a six-point roadmap aimed at consolidating unity and preparing for upcoming elections.
The party, led by President Gagan Thapa, held the CWC meeting for the first time just a day after the Election Commission (EC) formally authenticated the legitimacy of the Thapa panel. Thapa was appointed president by more than 57 percent of general convention delegates during the Special General Convention held from January 11 to 14, despite restrictions imposed by former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba.
The first CWC meeting after the EC’s decision, held at a banquet hall in Kathmandu, acknowledged the recognition of the outcomes of the party’s second Special General Convention. According to party spokesperson Devraj Chalise, the decisions seek to restore organisational cohesion, re-energise the party’s rank and file, and ready the NC for the electoral and political challenges ahead.
The committee appealed to all party members, committees, and sister organisations at home and abroad to move forward with unity, mutual trust, and cooperation, particularly in view of the March 5 House of Representatives (HoR) elections. It also called on leaders and cadres who have become inactive or left the party for various reasons to return and re-engage with the organisation.
The CWC expressed appreciation for former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba and other senior leaders for their long-standing contributions, stating that the party expects their continued “guardian role” during this transition.
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President Thapa, before attending the CWC meeting, publicly appealed to senior leaders from rival factions—including former president Deuba, senior leader Dr Shekhar Koirala, and former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka—to let go of bitterness and guide the party towards unity. Thapa said the party needed to end internal disputes without delay and move forward together.
Thapa expressed confidence that all sides would sit together within a few days, saying dialogue had already begun.
However, the Deuba faction, which has strongly opposed the EC’s recognition of the Thapa-led NC, reiterated its decision to challenge Friday’s ruling through political and legal means.
Addressing the media after a meeting of CWC members aligned with Deuba, senior leader Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said the faction had rejected the EC ruling, terming it “unconstitutional,” “one-sided,” and driven by “malafide intent.”
Mahat alleged that the EC’s decision undermined the duly elected CWC of the country’s largest democratic party. He also complained that the EC failed to provide the Deuba faction with an opportunity to present its case, arguing that established precedents, party statutes, and election laws were ignored. The faction announced it would pursue both legal and political remedies and move the Supreme Court on Sunday. Party leaders also said they would organise nationwide street protests against the EC’s verdict.
Meanwhile, senior leader Shekhar Koirala’s faction also rejected the EC decision but distanced itself from political protests. Following discussions with leaders close to him, Koirala said his group would seek justice through the courts.
After internal consultations, Koirala attended the Deuba faction’s CWC meeting in Sanepa, where a broader decision was taken to challenge the EC ruling through constitutional, political, and legal means.
In contrast, Sujata Koirala of the Deuba camp publicly accepted the EC verdict and welcomed Thapa’s leadership. In a video message released on social media on Saturday, she said the leadership change reflected the will of the people and the aspirations of the youth. She urged party members to embrace change positively.
Congratulating Thapa on his election through the Special General Convention, she called on him to lead the party responsibly while remaining anchored in BP Koirala’s ideology and the organisational legacy of Girija Prasad Koirala.
She stressed that the NC had not split but had merely undergone change, noting that its election symbol, four-star flag, and organisational structure remained intact.
Sujata Koirala also urged party leaders to respect the people’s mandate rather than engage in prolonged legal battles.
