General Convention dispute deepens fissures within Nepali Congress

KATHMANDU, Nov 1: The Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) could not be held on Friday due to a lack of consensus among party leaders over the schedule for the 15th General Convention. The CWC meeting, which began on 14 October, had already been suspended for nearly two weeks and resumed on Thursday, only to be postponed again on Friday.

General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma were reportedly preparing to propose holding the convention in Poush (mid-December to mid-January) without consulting Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka. In response, Deputy General Secretary Mahendra Yadav requested time to present an alternative schedule to the acting president.

With differing proposals from the general secretaries and deputy general secretaries, Friday’s meeting was postponed and rescheduled for Sunday.

A CC member noted that it was inappropriate for general and deputy general secretaries to take different stands while the party awaits decisions on internal politics and the upcoming elections on 5 March. “Different proposals from the general secretaries on the convention are not in the party’s interest. Consensus is necessary,” the member said.

Another member added that the meeting was postponed to bring the convention schedule forward in agreement.

In a meeting of office bearers and former office bearers called on Friday to present a consensus on the general convention to the CC, the general secretaries stated that they would propose holding the convention in Poush before the elections. In response to this proposal, Deputy General Secretary Yadav argued that holding either a regular or special convention before the elections was not feasible.

He further argued that if the proposal to hold the convention before the elections was brought to the CC, he should also be allowed to propose a regular convention after the elections.

While Thapa and Sharma support holding a regular convention in Mangsir (mid-November to mid-December) or Poush, or a special convention if a regular one is not possible, leaders close to President Sher Bahadur Deuba favour holding a regular convention only after the House of Representatives election on 5 March. Deuba-aligned leaders, currently focusing the party’s attention on the elections, support scheduling the convention for Baishakh (mid-April to mid-May)–Jestha (mid-May to mid-June), whereas the general secretaries insist on holding it before the elections, even as a special convention if a regular one is not possible.

Amid this growing dispute over the convention dates, leader Shekhar Koirala met on Friday morning with the office bearers who are close to him, as well as general secretaries Thapa and Sharma. He reiterated the need to hold the regular convention quickly and through a short process and instructed his close leaders to prepare accordingly and consult other party leaders.

Sources close to the party claim that the general secretaries are preparing to propose holding a special convention in the second week of Poush, as demanded by 54 per cent of convention delegates, arguing that a regular convention is not feasible in Mangsir.

Thapa had been dissatisfied with the establishment faction’s reluctance to hold either a regular or special convention before the elections, attending the party office on Thursday but not participating in the CC meeting. This indicates growing internal tension within the NC. Supporters of a special convention plan to gather in the capital on Sunday to press the CC.

The establishment faction leader alleged that the gathering was aimed at removing the leadership, saying, “First comes the country, then the party, and only then individuals. But the current attitude of prioritising personal interests will create problems for the party.”

Supporters of a special convention have denied the allegation and emphasised that the convention-related tension must be resolved in the party’s interest.