KATHMANDU, Jan 2: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba and General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma have assured 25 Central Working Committee (CWC) members that they will not allow the NC to split amid growing tensions over a special general convention.
Concerns over a possible fracture arose as Thapa and Sharma pushed for a special convention, citing that a regular convention is not feasible. Following their guidance, the faction supporting special convention is preparing to hold the event on January 11–12, intensifying internal political debates.
The 25 central committee members, representing the party’s establishment wing, met with Deuba, Thapa and Sharma on Friday. Senior leaders including Pushpa Bhusal, Angelu Sherpa, Dr Dila Sangroula, Uday Shamsher Rana and Rajendra KC participated in the discussion.
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According to Dr Sangroula, the meeting focused on concerns over a potential party split, disputes over proportional representation candidate lists, and the implications of proceeding with a special convention without broad consensus.
“We expressed our main concern about a party split,” Dr Sangroula said. “With elections approaching, unity is crucial. Both the president and the general secretaries assured us that the party would not be allowed to fracture.”
President Deuba emphasized that a special convention could not be held at this time due to the election schedule and urged members to remain united. “We will not let the party split, and neither should you,” he said.
Thapa and Sharma also reaffirmed their commitment to keeping the party intact. “While the special convention is a statutory requirement, we will ensure it does not destabilize the party,” Dr Sangroula added.
All sides are now awaiting the Execution Committee meeting scheduled for 3 PM today, hoping it will provide a path forward. “If not today, there are still two or three days to make efforts to safeguard party unity,” Dr Sangroula said.
