Congress Central Committee Meeting Postponed Over Dispute on General Convention Schedule

The Nepali Congress Central Working Committee meeting, scheduled for Friday, was postponed before it could convene. The meeting, which was to begin at 1 PM at the party’s central office in Sanepa, was abruptly deferred after party leaders failed to reach a consensus on the timetable for the upcoming General Convention.

According to party sources, General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma met with Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka on Friday morning, requesting time to present the convention schedule at the central committee meeting. Both leaders had insisted that the convention timetable be finalized in Friday’s meeting itself. However, after multiple rounds of unsuccessful discussions among the three, the meeting was postponed until Sunday.

Before the postponement, both sides held internal discussions among their respective groups at the party office in Sanepa and agreed to seek a new understanding before reconvening.

Disagreement on the General Convention Timeline

By party tradition, an agenda tabled by the General Secretary must have the consent of the party president. Earlier, General Secretary Thapa had presented two alternative proposals for the General Convention at a meeting of the Central Executive Committee. His plan was to finalize the proposal there before taking it to the Central Committee. However, leaders from the establishment faction reportedly blocked the agenda from moving forward, though Thapa later made the details public.

Thapa and Sharma have both argued that the party should hold the General Convention by Mangsir (November/December), or, if not possible, conduct a Special General Convention.
In contrast, the establishment faction, aligned with Acting President Khadka, maintains that the convention should be held only after the House of Representatives election in Falgun (February/March).

During an informal meeting with party office-bearers, Acting President Khadka proposed completing ward- and municipal-level conventions by Mangsir and holding the remaining sessions after the election. However, Thapa rejected the proposal, insisting that the central convention must take place before the election.

A central committee member close to Thapa stated,

“The General Secretary is not angry with the Acting President. He is still seeking consensus. But since it’s uncertain whether the election will actually take place in Falgun, delaying the convention is risky. If the government postpones elections to Baisakh (April/May), it will be impossible to manage both events. The establishment side wants to use this uncertainty to extend the leadership’s tenure by another year—something Thapa is firmly opposing.”

Proposals from Sharma and Thapa

General Secretary Sharma proposed that if holding the regular convention in Mangsir is not feasible, the party should organize the 15th General Convention from Poush 16 to 19 (December 31–January 3). Thapa agreed with the plan.
Both leaders informed Acting President Khadka that if the convention timetable was not finalized, they would boycott the central committee meeting.

Khadka responded that he was in favor of holding the regular convention but needed a few more days to hold discussions with all stakeholders.

“Let’s organize the regular convention, but we should assess what’s realistically possible,” Khadka reportedly said during the meeting. “I’ll coordinate with everyone. Please give me a day or two. Don’t decide to skip the meeting. Let’s discuss all matters and then fix the schedule. This is a time for consensus.”

Despite Khadka’s assurance, the establishment faction remains reluctant to hold the convention before the Falgun 21 election.

Establishment and Dissident Camps at Odds

While Thapa and Sharma have already submitted their proposed schedule to Acting President Khadka, the establishment side is pressuring him to defer the convention until after the election, possibly to Baisakh (April/May).
The General Secretaries, however, argue that if a regular convention cannot be held, the party must organize a special convention instead.

The dissident faction, led by Shekhar Koirala, has proposed holding the regular convention starting Poush 16 (December 31). After consultations with his close associates, Koirala suggested bringing a formal schedule for that date.
However, Koirala has emphasized avoiding party division, urging that ward-level conventions begin from Mangsir to ensure the process concludes before the Falgun election.

“Even if we go for the regular convention, let’s start from Mangsir,” Koirala said after meeting the General Secretaries. “If the ward conventions start then, the national convention can be completed by Poush or Magh. Finishing before the election would be ideal. But in any case, I will not allow the party to split.”

Shared Stand Among Non-Establishment Leaders

Deputy General Secretary Jeevan Pariyar said that leaders from the non-establishment side share a common position on holding the convention before the election.

“We can’t keep delaying meetings,” Pariyar said. “If it doesn’t happen by the end of Mangsir, the convention should be held by Poush 16. Whether the election happens on Falgun 21 or not is still uncertain, but the convention process must be completed beforehand.”

Four Options Proposed by Sharma

To open the way for youth leadership and end the deadlock, Sharma presented four alternative options to Acting President Khadka:

1. Present and approve Thapa’s proposed schedule for Mangsir 27–29 at the Central Committee.
2. Call a Special Convention by the end of Mangsir under Article 17(2) of the party statute, if deemed necessary by the committee.
3. Convene a Special Convention if more than 40% of the convention representatives submit a written request, as allowed by the same provision.
4. Take additional time to prepare for a regular convention between Poush 16–19, if consensus is reached.

After failing to reach an agreement, Thapa boycotted Thursday’s meeting.
Acting President Khadka, however, maintained that decisions will be made by a majority vote in the Central Committee and reaffirmed his stance.