Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Sher Bahadur Deuba-led Nepali Congress (NC) has formally notified the Election Commission (EC) of disciplinary action taken against three senior party leaders.
A team led by Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka visited the Election Commission on Tuesday and held discussions with EC officials on the NC’s internal disputes and the controversy surrounding the special general convention.
During the meeting, Khadka informed the EC officials that the party had taken disciplinary action against General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, and Joint General Secretary Farmullah Mansoor, expelling them from the party for five years. He claimed that the special general convention organized under their leadership was not in line with the party statute and therefore lacked legitimacy.
Khadka also briefed the EC on the reasons behind the delay in holding the party’s regular general convention. He said that although an active membership verification committee had earlier been formed under the leadership of then general secretary Thapa, the committee failed to submit the verified membership list to the Central Working Committee and the party President. This compelled the party to postpone the convention to May, he added.
According to Khadka, since the party statute allows the Central Working Committee to extend the term of the party president and office bearers by one year, the current leadership elected from the 14th general convention remains legitimate and official.
He reiterated that the Deuba-led faction represents the lawful and recognised Nepali Congress, and that the actions taken against the three leaders were in line with the party’s internal rules and procedures.
Several senior leaders, including Dr Shekhar Koirala, Vice President Dhanraj Gurung, Joint General Secretary Mahalakshmi Upadhyay Dina, and leaders Minendra Rijal, Ramesh Lekhak, Nain Singh Mahar, and Jit Jung Basnet, among others, accompanied Khadka to the EC.
