Himal Press 
File Photo
KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting is continuing discussions on setting the date for the party’s 15th General Convention.
The meeting, which began on October 14, has been primarily focused on whether to hold a special or regular convention, and whether it should take place before or after the elections for the House of Representatives scheduled for March 5.
General Secretary Gagan Thapa has proposed holding the convention before the elections, while Joint General Secretary Mahendra Yadav presented a counter-proposal, suggesting that the party organise the convention after the polls.
After Yadav presented his counterproposal, the debate within the party has deepened, with leaders from both the establishment and rival factions increasingly polarized.
On Wednesday, Bijay Kumar Gachhadar, a prominent leader of the establishment faction, said that the regular general convention should be held before the elections. He argued against holding a special convention and instead proposed conducting the regular one in December through mutual agreement on the schedule.
The term of the party’s Central Working Committee concludes in mid-December.
Several other leaders close to the establishment faction, however, have supported Joint General Secretary Yadav’s proposal, insisting that the convention should be held after elections. With the election date already announced, they argued, the party should now focus on unifying its efforts for election preparations. They have warned that pushing for a convention in December, as proposed by General Secretary Thapa, could lead to internal rifts during the election campaign.
The anti-establishment faction, on the other hand, has taken a firm stand that the convention should be held in December, arguing that the party should enter the election with new leadership and in tune with the sentiments of the Gen Z movement. Some establishment faction leaders, however, have interpreted this stance as an attempt to influence the ticket distribution process for the upcoming elections.
Some Central Working Committee members say there have been no serious efforts toward consensus on the convention date so far. “Central Working Committee members are divided, and even top leaders have their own arguments. There doesn’t seem to be an active effort to finalise the date through consensus,” one Central Working Committee member said.
NC’s Publicity Department Chief Min Bahadur Bishwakarma admitted that the party has been slow to initiate dialogue with other political parties to build an electoral environment. “As a democratic party, we acknowledge that there has been some delay in engaging with other parties to create a conducive atmosphere for the elections,” he said. “Once the Central Working Committee concludes its meeting, we will shift our focus in that direction.”
Wednesday’s meeting again centred on the general convention schedule. Central Working Committee Member Mohan Bahadur Basnet said the discussion revolved around the Gen Z movement, the upcoming elections, and whether to hold a regular or special convention.
“As a democratic party, the NC allows open discussion among its members and will take a unified decision based on national priorities,” he added.
