KATHMANDU, Jan 2: The 15th General Convention of the Nepali Congress (NC) remains in limbo, and party leaders are under growing pressure. With the convention unlikely to be held on its original schedule, General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma are pushing for a special general convention. Through former Dhading NC President Ramesh Dhamala, they have already booked the hall and grounds at Bhrikutimandap for January 11 and 12.
Earlier, the NC Central Working Committee (CWC) had approved a plan to hold the convention in Kathmandu from January 10, following membership distribution that began on December 1. However, delays at lower-level conventions made it clear that the schedule could not be met.
With no new date yet set, Thapa and Sharma insist that a special convention is now the only viable option. Some party leaders, however, warn that moving forward with a special convention could push the party toward division.
Under NC rules, a special convention can be called either by 40% of delegates or by the CWC. Once formally requested by delegates, a meeting must be held within three months. A request signed by 54% of delegates was submitted to the Central Office on October 15—but the CWC failed to discuss it during a 49-day-long meeting.
Special general convention of the party will be held after elec...
A CWC meeting on December 1 approved the schedule for the regular convention without addressing the special convention request. With active membership still unresolved, the regular convention could not proceed as planned, prompting the booking of Bhrikutimandap for the special convention.
Dhamala, who handled the booking, said, “It is every leader’s and cadre’s responsibility to implement party rules. We booked Bhrikutimandap to prevent others from occupying it again.” Committees for the special convention are expected to be formed on Friday.
Leaders from the party’s establishment faction claim that Thapa, Sharma, and their supporters are using the special convention as a pressure tactic against party leadership. “Calling a special convention without proper verification of signatures is an attempt to divide the party,” said one establishment leader. “Right now, Congress leaders and cadres are aligned toward unity, not division.”
The same leaders also noted that the proportional representation list for the House of Representatives election on March 5 was submitted to the Election Commission with the consent of the general secretaries. They argued that using a special convention to push personal agendas or stir controversy is wrong. “It seems the intention may be to pressure leaders, including the party president, to set a new date. But it does not appear that the general secretaries support party division,” they added.
Meanwhile, Thapa and Sharma confirmed that the 15th General Convention, originally scheduled for January 10–12, has been postponed. In a joint statement Thursday evening, they said the regular convention could not be held under the current circumstances, making a special convention the alternative.
No official statement has come from the NC Central Office. Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Paudel said he had only heard of the announcement but had no formal information.
The general secretaries explained that, as the regular convention could not proceed on schedule, all prior plans were disrupted. While the main option was to address the special convention request signed by 54% of delegates, the delay made the special convention the fallback solution.
Meanwhile, the NC CWC has called a meeting for Friday at 3 PM.
