Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Dila Sangraula has become the first woman to be elected general secretary of the Nepali Congress (NC).
In the election for the general secretary (women) position at the party’s 15th General Convention, Sangraula secured 3,118 votes. Her closest contender Mahalaxmi Upadhyay received 2,864 votes, while the other contender Rita Khanal got 804 votes.
“I am very happy. My responsibilities have also increased,” Sangraula told Himal Press after her victory.
Describing her win as a reflection of the party organization, she said women, young leaders and senior party members had supported her.
“This is not just my victory; it represents the stories of grassroots members across the organization,” she said.
Sangraula, who was elected joint general secretary through the party’s special convention held in January, began her political career with the party’s student wing—Nepal Students Union. She was active in the democratic movement from her student days and participated in political activities during the 1980 referendum.
She later worked to build and expand the party organization in Biratnagar. Rising through the ranks of the party’s women’s organization, she eventually became president of the party’s women’s wing—Nepal Women’s Association. Women’s rights, empowerment and greater female participation in politics have been central to her political career.
She was elected to the NC Central Working Committee at the party’s 13th General Convention in 2016. Sangraula was also elected to the House of Representatives in 2017.
Following her election as general secretary, Sangraula said the party could no longer operate using its traditional organizational approach. She expressed commitment to bring together leaders who had secured positions and those who had been left out.
“Some of our colleagues have received responsibilities, while others have not. I will move forward by bringing them all together,” she said.
She also acknowledged that the party had lost the support of some voters and said the key responsibility now will be to reconnect with them.
Sangraula’s election comes at a challenging time for the party, which is divided over the legitimacy of the special convention. The faction led by Sher Bahadur Deuba has not accepted the special convention, while the party’s official status is under consideration at the Supreme Court. The new leadership has the challenge of uniting the divided party and winning back voters who have drifted away from it following last September’s Gen Z protests.
