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Leaders have stated that the Nepali Congress, the country’s oldest political party, is effectively shattered amid the ongoing general convention led by the party’s founding faction calling for nominations for new leadership.
The Gagan Thapa-led faction, which organized the special convention to elect new leaders, has published the schedule for candidate registration on Tuesday at the party’s 15th general convention.
Congress General Secretary Guru Ghimire stated that after passing proposals and the party statute in the closed session, they will proceed with the election process for the new leadership starting Tuesday.
“Once the election process starts, the vote counting will begin. How many candidates will stand for president? If consensus is reached, results will be swift; otherwise, competition may take some time,” Ghimire explained.
Meanwhile, the group supporting outgoing President Sher Bahadur Deuba, which has called the special convention illegal, organized their own separate convention in Mangsir (November/December), including parallel ward and municipal conventions.
“They have held their convention, and our regional conventions have also begun. At this point, I do not see prospects for understanding or unity,” said Prakashsharan Mahat, a leader from Deuba’s faction.
Deuba’s faction has not relinquished its claim to the official status of Nepali Congress. Leaders anticipate that the party’s official dispute will be resolved through the Supreme Court following the permission to review the court’s order that recognized Thapa’s faction.
Political analyst Jagat Nepal has noted that with parallel conventions underway, the party appears politically divided.
“Politically, there seem to be two separate parties. Technically, the court’s final decision is still pending,” said Nepal, an associate professor in Tribhuvan University’s journalism department.
Congress Divided into Two Factions
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Leaders from the founding faction maintain that after the general convention, the Nepali Congress will remain a single party and debates over the party’s official status will conclude.
“Nepali Congress will conduct the 15th General Convention and formally apply for amendments to the Election Commission. After this, the Nepali Congress will exist as one unified party,” Ghimire asserted.
Conversely, Deuba faction leader Kundan Kaplè claims leadership’s failure to resolve disputes has brought the party to the brink of a split.
“With two structures in place, the party now resembles two separate entities. What remains is which side will retain the party’s symbol and flag,” he said.
Previously, some leaders perceived to be close to Deuba and leader Shekhar Koirala are now aligned with the founding faction.
Leaders aligned with Deuba such as Bal Krishna Khand, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Meen Bishwakarma, Mahalaxmi Upadhyay, Mahendra Yadav, Sita Gurung and others participated in their faction’s convention.
The founding faction has announced plans to select new party leadership and office bearers through voting on 22nd Ashoj (early October).
Meanwhile, key former leaders like Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakashman Singh, Krishna Sitaula, and Shashank Koirala remain with the Deuba faction that was removed in the special convention.
Two influential leaders, Shekhar Koirala and Prebahadur Khadka, have not openly aligned with either faction.
Shekhar Koirala’s Perspectives
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Shekhar Koirala, a leader from the prominent Koirala family with a long history in the Nepali Congress, acknowledged that although the party has split, he is actively attempting to reconcile the factions.
“I have no doubt about it. I have seen the Democratic Congress and Nepali Congress split before, and even now, the party has fractured and divided,” Koirala said.
He recalled that the party had previously split and later reunited to make history, and he is currently maintaining dialogue with both sides to encourage reconciliation.
“This is not the first time the party has split. I am still in dialogue with both sides and trying to bring them together,” Koirala stated.
He added that efforts to unify the party will intensify after Dashain and ahead of local elections.
Political analyst Hari Sharma observed that the regular general convention following the special convention has institutionalized the party’s structure.
However, Sharma highlighted that managing increasing ambition among leaders and workers is an upcoming challenge. “If collective spirit does not return amid ambitions fueled by positions and social media, ideological and unity issues will arise,” he warned.
He further noted that despite imprisonment of some leaders, the party ahead of the general convention has progressed institutionally in line with its statute.
“This is the most important aspect,” Sharma emphasized.
Congress’s Division: An Old Pattern, Not New
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Jagat Nepal stated that the Deuba faction’s previous claims of involvement in parallel conventions or new party formations represent an old trend of division within Nepali Congress.
Earlier, Deuba had formed the Congress Democratic Party in 2002 (2059 BS).
“That faction was large. In 2008 (2064 BS), they reunited in a 60-40 ratio to form a larger party,” Nepal explained. When Deuba reintegrated with Nepali Congress, his faction received 40% representation in the central committee.
Before 1959 BS, Dilliram Regmi broke away from Nepali Congress to establish the Praja Party, but leader Koirala reunited the factions ahead of the 1959 BS elections.
“When BP Koirala was jailed, Matrika Prasad Koirala was appointed vice president. After Matrika’s resignation, Regmi served as acting president. After BP’s release from jail, he resumed the presidency, but when Dilliram refused to step down, the National Congress was formed,” Nepal recounted.
According to Nepal, Regmi’s party remained active throughout his lifetime.
