KATHMANDU, Dec 2: Pressure is mounting within the Nepali Congress (NC) for the party leadership to convene a special general convention, with leaders stating that no alternative remains as a regular convention cannot be held on schedule.
The rival faction advocating a special convention held a press conference in Kathmandu on Friday, calling for it to be held on 11 and 12 January. They stressed that the move is not a matter of political preference but a constitutional obligation under the party’s statute.
Pressure mounts within NC to hold general convention soon
Around 54 per cent of convention representatives have submitted signatures to acting president Khadka requesting a special convention. Party rules stipulate that if 40 per cent of representatives demand a special convention, it must be held within three months of submission.
The call follows similar demands from general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma, and has since gained wider support across the party.
At the press conference, the secretary duo issued a joint statement, noting that the right to call a special convention lies with the convention representatives. They warned that a democratic party cannot credibly champion constitutionalism and the rule of law while failing to comply with its own binding provisions. “No individual or leadership stands above the party statute,” the statement read, adding that adherence to the statute is the minimum responsibility of the leadership.
Citing the statute-mandated three-month deadline, the leaders said the special convention must be concluded within the stipulated period and formally urged the central leadership to convene it in accordance with Article 17(2).
They also appealed to party members to view the special convention not as a contest of winners and losers, but as an opportunity to preserve party unity, strengthen internal democracy, and reaffirm accountability to the public.
