KATHMANDU, NEPAL, October 31, 2025: A significant internal crisis is brewing within the Nepali Congress (NC) as its leadership remains sharply divided over whether to hold the crucial party convention before or after the upcoming national elections scheduled for March 5, 2026.
The feud, which pits the establishment faction against the rival camp, escalated on Thursday when General Secretary Gagan Thapa boycotted the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting after his proposal for an early convention was reportedly rejected by the acting party President, Purna Bahadur Khadka.
Factions at Odds Over Convention Timing
The dissident faction, including General Secretary Thapa and other leaders, has indulged in a debate with the established faction over the core issue of internal reform and leadership change—triggered by recent public criticism, including the "Gen Z uprising"—versus holding regular conventions to give priority to the national elections.
The established faction, led by Acting President Khadka, has stated that a regular convention after the March polls would be better for the party. Their strategy is to manage parliamentary election ticket distribution and avoid internal leadership challenges before the polls.
However, the rival faction has demanded a special convention before the March polls, by mid-December. They argue that policy and leadership reforms are immediately necessary to regain public trust and avoid a poor electoral performance in the elections.
