Lalitpur — The Nepali Congress has stepped up efforts to finalize the schedule for its 15th General Convention. A meeting of the party’s office bearers was held on Sunday morning at a hotel in Dhobighat, Lalitpur, called by Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka.
A senior party official said the meeting was focused on finding common ground over the dates and procedures for the convention. A similar meeting on Saturday had ended without agreement, leading Khadka to summon another round of talks today.
Disagreement Over Dates and Growing Pressure
General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma have maintained that the convention must be held between Poush 16 and 19 (late December to early January), as required by the party’s constitution. They insist that delaying the event any further would go against the party’s democratic norms.
In contrast, the faction close to Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba has proposed holding the convention by the end of Baisakh (mid-May). The disagreement over timing has deepened internal tension within the party.
Adding to the pressure, 54 percent of convention representatives have signed a petition demanding a special convention if the regular one is not held soon. Leaders including Gururaj Ghimire met Acting President Khadka on Saturday to urge him to move forward with the process.
Insiders say the initiative reflects growing frustration among members who believe the leadership is deliberately delaying the event.
Central Committee Meeting This Afternoon
After the office bearers’ meeting, the party’s Central Committee is set to meet at 1 p.m. at the Congress headquarters in Sanepa. The meeting was originally scheduled for Friday but was postponed due to lack of agreement on the convention timeline.
Party insiders warn that if today’s discussions also fail to yield a decision, dissatisfaction within the Nepali Congress could deepen further.
