Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: While the establishment faction of the Nepali Congress (NC) has been conducting programs across various provinces, the group aligned with former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba is also engaged in strengthening its organizational base.
The Deuba faction, which organized a gathering in Pokhara of Gandaki Province on Saturday, organized a similar program in Dhangadhi of Sudurpaschim Province on Sunday.
The establishment faction had held a similar event in Sudurpaschim a few days ago.
The NC has effectively split into establishment and former establishment factions following a special general convention held in January that elected a new Central Working Committee under Gagan Kumar Thapa.
Interestingly, although both groups have claimed that their events are aimed at party unity, they have been holding separate gatherings.
Party leaders say such parallel activities, despite being presented as preparations for the 15th General Convention, are not in the party’s interest. They warn that the growing factionalism could ultimately weaken the party, with some even suggesting a possible formal split.
Addressing the Sudurpaschim gathering, former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak denied that the meeting was intended to create division within the party. He said the program was organized to strengthen unity and further consolidate the organisation.
Lekhak said the objective was to establish the NC as a strong and leading democratic party. He also argued that internal divisions had weakened the party and contributed to its electoral defeat following the Gen-Z movement.
Leaders speaking at the event accused the establishment faction led by Thapa of running the party in a unilateral manner. Most speakers alleged that the party had weakened under Thapa’s leadership and demanded that both factions be given roles and responsibilities within the organization.
NC’s Sudurpaschim Province Committee President, Bal Bahadur Balayar, said Deuba faction leaders should also be given respectable roles in the party. Stating that the party’s strength comes from the ward level, he accused the leadership of weakening the party’s grassroots structure by ignoring ward chair decisions.
Leaders, including NP Saud, Nain Singh Mahar, Sudurpaschim Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah, Minister for Economic Affairs Bahadur Singh Thapa, Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Shivraj Bhatt, and Minister for Social Development Meghraj Khadka, among others, attended the event.
