Nepali Congress splits after long-standing internal rift - english.makalukhabar.com

KATHMANDU: After years of internal conflict, the Nepali Congress has formally split. The party’s establishment faction, led by Sher Bahadur Deuba, has decided to expel General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwprakash Sharma, along with Deputy General Secretary Pharmullah Mansur, for five years, citing violations of party discipline. Meanwhile, the pro-special convention faction has moved forward with electing Gagan Thapa as party president through a special convention in Bhrikutimandap. This faction claims its move is aimed at transforming the party and introducing new leadership. The Deuba faction had opposed holding a special convention, insisting that the party follow the regular schedule, with the general convention slated for the last week of Baisakh. However, over 54% of convention delegates had already demanded a special convention, and the pro-special convention faction argued that the party constitution mandates honoring such a request. With the deadline for submitting the special convention proposal approaching on Poush 28, the faction pressed ahead, opening the special convention in Bhrikutimandap. Repeated efforts at dialogue and negotiation failed, as neither side was willing to compromise. With the establishment faction unwilling to address calls for leadership change and party transformation, the Nepali Congress has now formally split into two distinct factions. Responding to his expulsion, Gagan Thapa stated, “Nepali Congress is not anyone’s private company. It is a party with a historic legacy, a party that has led movements.”