Congress General Convention: Challenges Facing Newly Elected Chairman Gagan Thapa
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Nepali Congress’s 15th General Convention on Saturday elected Gagan Thapa as party chairman with a clear majority.
According to the notice issued by Central Election Committee Coordinator Prem Bahadur Khadka and members Susanjan Lopchan and Raju Khadka, Thapa secured a total of 6,584 votes in the Friday election, winning decisively.
Thapa’s competitor, Shyam Krishna Khadka, received 375 votes. According to the Election Committee, Thapa garnered 93.88 percent of the votes, while Khadka obtained 5.35 percent.
Thapa’s vote count exceeded Khadka’s by 6,209 votes. The committee stated that the remaining vote tallying will begin Saturday afternoon.
Reactions from Congress Leaders
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Senior Party Vice President and unopposed candidate Bishwprakash Sharma congratulated newly elected Chairman Thapa via social media.
“This journey has only just begun; it is not the destination. We must continue moving forward to lead the country to its goal. Challenges will come and we must face them patiently. Different opinions and ideas must unify. We need to address weaknesses by recalling our past glories,” he wrote.
“We must be honest with history and make progress possible. We stand with confidence that ‘we must do it and we will do it.’ We are united. Best wishes to strong leadership!”
Leader Pradeep Paudel extended his congratulations to Thapa, stating that the party has gained historic leadership to elevate Congress to new heights.
“We have come with a determination to change the era. The path is not easy. There are many challenges. But we cannot afford to show weakness or get tired. A transformed Congress and nation must be the fruit of our actions and outcomes. As honest comrades, we stand together,” Paudel wrote on Facebook.
Another leader, Uday Shamsher Rana, emphasized cooperation.
“Under your leadership, I pledge to strengthen party unity and internal democracy and promise to work together to transform public trust into the country’s prosperity and a brighter future,” he stated on X.
Both Opportunities and Challenges
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Political analyst Chandrakishore observes that Nepali Congress’s 15th General Convention delivers two messages.
“I believe this convention shows that Congress accepts both the old and new,” he said.
Kishore pointed out that there are both opportunities and challenges for Chairman Thapa.
“Now, Gagan Thapa’s main challenge is to unite as many Congress members as possible,” he added.
“He will need to engage the youth and assure the older generation that their contributions are respected.”
Despite higher participation in this convention, analysts note some notable absences.
“This leadership engine needs to connect vehicles that have separated at junctions. Without connection, they appear divided,” he stressed.
“This leadership has opportunities to be welcomed but risks facing challenges. Therefore, Gagan Thapa must further build public trust and constructively address concerns of dissatisfied members.”
A Cluster of Controversies
Amid opposition from Sher Bahadur Deuba’s faction, a special convention held in Kathmandu last Poush (December/January) selected Gagan Thapa as unopposed chairman.
The committee formed under his leadership is now running the current 15th General Convention.
At that time, Deuba’s allies claimed the assembly held at Bhaktapur’s Bhrikuti Mandap was not a ‘special convention’.
However, the Supreme Court had granted approval in Baishakh (April-May) for the committee led by Gagan Thapa.
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The Supreme Court’s ruling noted that the committee organized the convention following a formal internal request for the special general convention, which the foundational faction had not initiated, and that participants conducted the proceedings according to electoral rules.
The Court affirmed that the Nepali Congress election commission has recognized the committee led by Gagan Kumar Thapa, which elected candidates and conducted elections under Thapa’s signature.
Following the Election Commission’s endorsement of the central committee elected through the special convention, former chairman Sher Bahadur Deuba and acting chairman Purna Bahadur Khadka filed petitions in the court.
The faction associated with Deuba considers this special convention illegal and, protesting it, announced a separate convention for Mangsir (November/December), conducting parallel ward and municipal assemblies.
Previously Deuba-allied leaders such as Bal Krishna Khand, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Meen Bishwakarma, Mahalaxmi Upadhyay, Mahendra Yadav, and Sita Gurung had participated in the convention.
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