Kathmandu, Nov 14: The Nepali Congress leadership elected through the party’s second special general convention completed its 15th general convention in October and selected a new leadership. Former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, who stayed away from the convention, is preparing a parallel convention.
Amid the rival factions moving ahead with separate convention processes, Dr Shekhar Koirala, Deuba’s closest rival in the 14th general convention, has stayed out of both camps.
Koirala is now preparing a nationwide campaign to reunite the divided party. His supporters say he plans to bring both factions back under one organisation, arguing that rebuilding the Congress matters more than securing victory for either side.
With established political parties facing growing challenges, further division would weaken the Congress, Koirala’s camp believes.
“By splitting into separate camps, the Congress stands to lose its ideology, principles, integrity, conduct, ideals and history,” said Koirala aide Sanjay Kumar Gautam. “Our effort is focused on rebuilding the entire Congress.”
Koirala had opposed the special convention, favouring leadership selection through a regular convention. His camp believes the failure to stop the special convention or reach a compromise led to the party’s split.
“We supported a regular convention. We knew holding a special convention would create circumstances for a split,” Gautam said. “Two parties now operate in parallel. Regardless of the court’s verdict, the party is already divided psychologically.”
Koirala has previously held discussions with leaders from both factions to promote unity. He now plans to turn those individual efforts into an organised campaign.
Further discussions are expected after Koirala returns to Kathmandu following the Chhath festival. The campaign’s structure, whether through a formal organisation or dialogue among leaders and grassroots members, has yet to be decided.
“We are telling leaders from both sides that a unity convention is the only way forward. They must stop attacking and humiliating each other and focus on rebuilding the Congress,” Gautam said.
Koirala’s personal secretary Dinesh Chandra Thapaliya also confirmed plans for a nationwide unity campaign, but said no date or concrete programme had been finalised.
Koirala is currently in his hometown Biratnagar for Tihar and is expected to hold further consultations with his supporters after returning to Kathmandu.
Among those backing him are Badri Pandey, Bal Bahadur KC, Sanjay Kumar Gautam and Sarita Prasai. While most of his supporters attended the establishment faction’s convention, some joined Deuba’s parallel process. Koirala and several close associates stayed away from both.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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