For the first time since the Gen-Z movement, the Nepali Congress Central Committee is meeting today, with the party’s upcoming General Convention set as the main agenda.
The discussion on the timing and nature of the convention has intensified after General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma launched a signature campaign demanding a Special General Convention to bring leadership change. They claim to have already secured the required 51 percent signatures in support of the proposal.
On the other hand, Shekhar Koirala has proposed holding the regular General Convention within Mangsir (November–December) and is preparing a timetable for it. According to him, the leadership change process can move forward by the end of Mangsir, extending the deadline by a few weeks if necessary to complete the election.
However, the establishment faction has argued that the country is in a critical situation and proposed to set the timeline until Baisakh (April–May), emphasizing that national issues should be prioritized over immediate leadership change. They have stressed the need for organizational strengthening and national consensus first.
Ahead of today’s meeting, Central Committee member Madhu Acharya said that preparations are underway to submit the signatures of convention representatives demanding a Special General Convention. According to him, the process of collecting signatures and drafting proposals is being coordinated from the contact office in Anamnagar, led by Guru Ghimire, a close associate of Shekhar Koirala.
The campaign by the two general secretaries has reignited debates within the party over power balance and leadership legitimacy. Although the party had the opportunity to assess the situation following the Gen-Z movement, strengthen internal unity, and define its future political direction, the current dispute risks overshadowing those efforts.
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