KATHMANDU, Nov 2: The dissident faction of the Nepali Congress has stepped up preparations for the party’s 15th General Convention, aiming to complete district-level conventions across the country by November 8.
The faction extended the deadline after adverse weather disrupted its previously announced schedule.
According to faction leader Deepak Prasad Kuinkel, district conventions had been completed in 25 districts as of Sunday, while conventions were underway in another 25 districts on Monday. The remaining districts are also expected to complete their conventions within the revised deadline.
“We are holding district conventions rapidly. Our schedule was to complete them by November 1, but adverse weather affected conventions in some districts. We are now working to complete all district conventions by November 8,” Kuinkel said.
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The faction plans to hold provincial conventions in all seven provinces on November 20, followed by the 15th General Convention in Kathmandu from December 7 to 9. Around 8,000 delegates are expected to participate, Kuinkel said.
The Open Air Theatre at Tundikhel has been designated as the main venue for the convention. Both the inauguration ceremony and closed-door sessions will be held there, while meals for delegates will be arranged at Bhrikutimandap. Voting to elect the party leadership is planned at the National Assembly Hall.
Meanwhile, the faction led by Gagan Kumar Thapa has already held its own 15th General Convention. The dissident faction is preparing to organise a separate convention in parallel.
The Nepali Congress split into two factions following the special general convention held in December last year. A dispute over the legitimacy of the central working committee elected under Thapa’s leadership remains under consideration at the Supreme Court. After a full bench of the court granted leave for a fresh hearing in the dispute over the party’s official status, the dissident faction intensified preparations for its regular general convention.
The faction has already appointed a coordinator for its Central Election Committee and is preparing to form other committees for the convention. Meanwhile, the faction led by former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba has established a liaison office in Chundevi, Kathmandu, and is continuing its parallel activities.
Kuinkel said there was little possibility of an immediate end to the party’s division. He said prospects for dialogue and reconciliation between the two factions had almost disappeared.
“We had proposed preparing a joint schedule and moving forward together before the ward conventions. But they showed no interest. Now, we do not see any possibility of dialogue or unity between the two factions,” he said.
Kuinkel said his faction had not wanted the party to split but had been pushed towards that outcome by circumstances. He said the faction had initially preferred to resolve the dispute through political agreement rather than legal proceedings, but conditions had not allowed that.
