Kathmandu — The Nepali Congress will convene a decisive Central Committee meeting today at the party’s central office in Sanepa, starting at 1 p.m. The gathering carries high significance as party president Sher Bahadur Deuba is set to make his first public appearance since being injured during the GenZ movement protests on Bhadra 24.
Deuba, who was wounded during an attack by demonstrators at his residence, will personally chair the meeting, ending speculation that Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka would lead instead. “President Deuba himself will attend and chair the meeting,” confirmed Min Bahadur Bishwakarma, head of the party’s publicity department.
Division Over Mahadhiveshan
Before the main session, Deuba and senior leaders will meet at 9 a.m. to finalize the meeting’s agenda. The central debate will center on whether to hold a Special Mahadhiveshan or a Regular Mahadhiveshan.
A faction of delegates has already gathered signatures demanding a special convention. Leader Gururaj Ghimire stated that about 53 percent of delegates have signed in favor. “We will submit the signatures before the Central Committee meeting begins,” he said.
Party general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma have pushed for a regular convention within Mangsir (mid-November to mid-December), emphasizing that the current leadership’s four-year term—elected during the 14th Mahadhiveshan in 2078 BS—expires soon. Deuba’s faction insists neither a regular nor a special convention can take place before national elections, proposing instead to extend the term until Baisakh (April 2026).
Leadership Pressure and Signature Drive
The campaign for a special convention has concerned Deuba loyalists, who argue it could weaken party unity. However, Thapa and Sharma maintain that the initiative follows party statutes allowing a special Mahadhiveshan if 40 percent of delegates formally request it.
As momentum builds, senior leaders aligned with Deuba—including Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakash Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, and Spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat—have been urging delegates by phone to withdraw their signatures. Only a few from Kailali, Dadeldhura, and Jajarkot have done so.
Defining Moment for Deuba
Observers say today’s meeting could shape Deuba’s political legacy. If he manages to resolve the internal dispute by setting a clear convention timeline, it would reaffirm his leadership. If the special Mahadhiveshan proceeds, it could open the path for new leadership within the party.
Either way, the meeting represents a turning point for the Nepali Congress and a defining chapter in Sher Bahadur Deuba’s political career.
