Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has stepped forward to address the dispute surrounding the party’s General Convention.
During an informal discussion with office bearers and former office bearers on Friday, Deuba made it clear that the party must hold a regular General Convention. Rejecting the idea of a Special General Convention, he proposed conducting the regular convention by the end of Poush.
After the meeting, NC Vice-President Dhanaraj Gurung said that holding the regular General Convention by the end of Poush could serve as a meeting point for all leaders. “Today’s informal meeting at the party president’s residence has moved somewhat in a positive direction. Conducting the regular General Convention by the end of Poush can be a common point. All leaders should play their part positively,” he said.
However, General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma insisted that there is not enough time to prepare for a regular convention and emphasized the need for a Special General Convention. Deuba, meanwhile, firmly stated that there would be no Special Convention, reiterating that the regular General Convention would be held by the end of Poush.
According to a leader present at the meeting, Deuba also scolded those who argued against holding the convention before the elections. He expressed frustration that too much time had been wasted debating the issue. Deuba said he was ready to step down from party leadership and urged leaders not to create further disputes over the convention. He added that a meeting on Saturday would finalize the agreement to hold the General Convention by the end of Poush.
Senior leaders Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakash Man Singh, and others have been opposing the idea of holding the General Convention before the March 21 election. Their disagreement has kept the NC Central Committee meeting—ongoing since Ashoj 28—undecided. The party is expected to reach an informal agreement today and announce the formal date for the General Convention during Sunday’s Central Committee meeting.
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