Nepali Congress: How Has the Establishment Faction Responded to Deuba Faction’s Decision to Hold a Separate General Convention?

The Deuba faction, which did not participate in Nepali Congress’s special general convention, has decided to conduct a separate general convention. Following nearly five months abroad in Singapore, former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba led a conference in Kathmandu which reaffirmed his continuation as party chairman. Last December, the special general convention removed Deuba and elected Gagan Thapa as chairman. Leaders from the dissident faction, who had not participated in the special convention, have since been carrying out separate activities. Although the Supreme Court had previously recognized the special general convention, it has recently decided to review that order. The Thapa faction has already scheduled the party’s regular general convention for October.

“We are the party recognized by the court. We have already announced the 15th general convention starting from October 2,” said Nepali Congress spokesperson Devaraj Chalise. What do leaders from the Deuba faction say? Despite using Nepali Congress’s name and election symbol on the banner of the dissident faction’s conference, the submitted resolution does not mention the party’s name explicitly. However, it is clear that the 15th general convention will be held under Deuba’s chairmanship. The first point in the resolution states, “The 15th general convention will be held under the decisions and organization of the Central Working Committee elected at the 14th general convention, led by party chairman Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba.”

Meen Bahadur Bishwakarma, a leader of the dissident group, stated that they claimed the authority of the Central Working Committee, which is why they decided to hold the convention. “Since the official committee is claimed by us, according to the party’s constitution, the general convention should be held within six months either in Mangsir or thereafter,” Bishwakarma said. However, he added that the schedule for the convention will not be announced until a decision is made by the Supreme Court regarding the party’s official status. “The review decision is pending with the court. Until the final order is issued, we intend that neither side should make long-term decisions. Therefore, we do not plan to immediately publicize the convention timetable, and we hope the other group will also refrain from doing so,” he explained.

On Thursday, upon returning home, Deuba issued a statement noting that he returned “not merely as a leader but as a lifelong citizen of a great nation.” How will this affect unity within the party? Currently, leaders from both the Thapa and Deuba factions are carrying out activities under the Nepali Congress name. While some moderate leaders claim efforts are underway to reconcile both sides, no tangible progress has been made yet. The Deuba faction’s decision to hold a general convention under their conference adds complexity to including the dissident faction, said spokesperson Chalise. “This is not a dispute but dissatisfaction. We have tried to reconcile. The decision from the assembly will only add to the complexity,” he stated.

“Leaders must participate in the process. Decisions should not be made solely by leaders sitting together; in a democratic party like ours, selections should come from the grassroots workers,” added Bishwakarma from the Deuba faction. He also maintained that the possibility of unity remains even after the convention announcement. “Unity can happen at any time. Once the review court decision is issued and the official leadership confirmed, that group must take the initiative to reconcile,” he said. In a religious resolution passed by the Deuba faction’s conference in Kathmandu, it was decided that until the next general convention, coordination under the direction of Deuba would continue with Shashank Koirala as coordinator. The meeting had seen a public debate among leaders on religious issues. The resolution highlights that “Sanatan Dharma and cultural diversity are Nepal’s identity,” and commits to “strengthen Sanatan Dharma as a national identity, considering the responsibility to protect Hinduism, Buddhism, Kiratism, and indigenous religions.” Bishwakarma also noted that religion-related debates are not new within Nepali Congress. “At the last general convention, approximately 1,200 delegates requested a debate on Sanatan Dharma. Many of them are still with us. The debate was sparked after senior leaders raised questions,” he said.

What were the other decisions? The Deuba faction’s conference passed a proposal to engage in consultations with all stakeholders regarding constitutional amendments, though no specific details were released. Bishwakarma noted that the 20-point proposal adopted at the conference clarified several issues. The Deuba faction also resolved to initiate dialogue with democratic forces to strengthen nationalism and democracy.