Kathmandu- The Nepali Congress is currently facing an unprecedented leadership dispute, with two parallel claims to the party presidency—one led by Sher Bahadur Deuba and the other by Gagan Thapa—following decisions made by rival party forums.
The Special General Convention, held at Bhrikutimandap since January 11, has unanimously announced a 166-member Central Working Committee under the leadership of Gagan Thapa, effectively declaring him party president. The committee includes 13 office bearers, signaling the formation of a full alternative leadership structure.
Read this:- ‘We Are the Official Congress, the Process Will Not Be Stopped Now’: Gagan Thapa After Deuba Faction’s Action
Under the newly announced committee, Bishwaprakash Sharma and Pushpa Bhusal have been elected as Vice-Presidents, while Pradeep Poudel and Gururaj Ghimire have been elected as General Secretaries.
The Joint General Secretaries are: Farmullah Mansur, Uday Shamsher Rana, Prakash Rasaili, Bahadur Singh Lama, Yogendra Singh Chaudhary, Dila Sangraula, Muktakumari Yadav, and Karna Bahadur Budha, representing diverse communities as mandated by party statute.
As per party provisions, the Treasurer will be nominated by the Central Committee on the proposal of the President, and 34 additional central members are yet to be nominated.
Two Presidents, One Party Crisis
While the Bhrikutimandap convention has elected Gagan Thapa as President, Sher Bahadur Deuba continues to claim the presidency through the Central Committee meeting held in Sanepa, which has declared the special convention illegal and taken disciplinary action against Thapa, Bishwaprakash Sharma, and Joint General Secretary Farmullah Mansur.
The confrontation intensified after decisive talks between Deuba and the two general secretaries failed. Thapa and Sharma demanded that Deuba step aside from executive leadership and relinquish control over the upcoming elections—proposals Deuba rejected. An eight-point proposal sent by Sharma to Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka collapsed within minutes, ending negotiations.
Following this, the Sanepa-based meeting moved ahead without Deuba and imposed a five-year ban on Thapa, Sharma, and Mansur. In response, the Bhrikutimandap convention accelerated its election process, declaring the Sanepa committee dissolved and asserting that its decisions lack authority.
Election Commission and Supreme Court Next
Both factions have now formally approached the Election Commission, each staking claim to party legitimacy. The Deuba faction argues that the special convention violates party statute, while the Thapa-led group maintains that the convention is lawful, citing the support of 54 percent of general convention delegates.
Constitutional experts note that while party law allows 40 percent of delegates to demand a special general convention, its legitimacy will ultimately depend on the Election Commission’s interpretation. Any dissatisfied side is expected to move the Supreme Court, making a prolonged legal battle almost inevitable.
With the decision unlikely to come swiftly, the internal conflict has raised serious concerns about its impact on the February 21 elections, potentially weakening the party at a critical political moment.
List of 166-member Central Working Committee under the leadership of Gagan Thapa
