KATHMANDU, Dec 26: With just 15 days remaining for the 15th general convention, the Nepali Congress (NC) is embroiled in internal discussions over the formation of its parliamentary committee rather than finalising preparations for the landmark event. Party leaders raised the issue during a working committee meeting that began Wednesday, alongside deliberations on preparing the proportional representation list for the House of Representatives (HoR) election scheduled for March 5.
According to the party statute, the parliamentary committee is responsible for selecting candidates for local, provincial, and federal elections, as well as recommending ministers representing the party in the federal government. Article 31 stipulates that party office-bearers and the parliamentary party leader automatically become members of the committee, while the party president proposes 11 central committee members for approval by the central committee.
This is the first time the committee formation has been raised in four years since the 14th general convention. A party leader noted, “In the past, candidates were finalised by the central working committee itself and some believe we should continue that practice. Nothing has been finalised yet.”
Pressure mounts within NC to hold general convention soon
During the past four years, the party has participated in successive governments without forming the committee, with ministerial appointments often determined at the discretion of senior leaders. After the 14th general convention elected Sher Bahadur Deuba as president and Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma as general secretaries, both party members and the public had expected operations to follow statutes. However, factionalism and procedural lapses have undermined party functioning.
Article 60 of the statute mandates that all party bodies must be fully constituted within six months of the general convention, but the working committee and other key departments remain incomplete. Factional disputes from the central to ward levels have prevented many structures from convening meetings, and central committee meetings are held only sporadically, contrary to statutory requirements. Publicised work plans have largely remained unimplemented.
The party has also failed to hold regular general conventions for its major sister organisations, including the Nepal Students Union, Nepal Tarun Dal and Nepal Women’s Association, despite forming directive committees to organise them. Meanwhile, a recent working committee meeting discussed criteria for selecting proportional representation candidates, with NC Spokesperson Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat noting that the convention date could be slightly delayed due to ongoing membership verification.
Central Working Committee member Pradeep Paudel criticised the leadership for lacking urgency in convening the convention, calling it a prerequisite for electoral success. He emphasised that if holding all levels of conventions before the general election is not feasible, at least conducting three-tiered conventions to update policies and leadership should be prioritised. Lower-level leaders have expressed concerns that senior leaders are using the process to secure their positions rather than strengthen the party.
The ongoing delays and procedural lapses highlight continued factionalism within the Nepali Congress, raising questions about its readiness for upcoming elections and its ability to operate according to its own statutes.
