Kathmandu— The Election Committee formed by the Nepali Congress Special General Convention has decided to formally move forward with the process of selecting new party leadership. Senior advocate Sitaram KC, coordinator of the five-member Election Committee, made the election schedule public on Tuesday.
According to the committee, elections will be held to select members of the party’s Central Committee. The decision was taken after dissolving the earlier Election Committee led by Khamba Bahadur Khati and constituting a new committee under KC’s leadership on Tuesday morning.
Congress Special Convention Supporters Say Election Committee to Be Dissolved Tuesday, Poll Process to Begin
The announcement comes amid growing internal pressure within the party for leadership change, as reflected strongly during the closed session of the Special General Convention.
Strong Push for New Leadership in Closed Session
During the third day of the convention, leaders from across provinces presented suggestions and viewpoints based on group discussions held on reports submitted by General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma. The reports focused on contemporary political challenges, good governance, and party transformation.
Gandaki Province President Shukraraj Sharma argued that electing new leadership had become inevitable, stating that the current leadership ignored the demand for a special general convention backed by 54 percent of the party’s general convention delegates. He said the Congress must move in a new direction to regain public trust and organizational strength.
Sharma also criticized prolonged electoral alliances, saying they had weakened the party’s independent political influence. He further called for charting a fresh political course and, during the closed session, demanded the restoration of Nepal as a Hindu nation.
Similar sentiments were echoed by several district and provincial leaders. Banke District President Narayan Poudel said the special general convention should conclude by electing new leadership, reflecting the public demand for change. Gulmi District President Khildhwaj Panthi urged party president Sher Bahadur Deuba to understand why grassroots cadres are rallying behind leaders like Thapa and Sharma.
Policy Reform and Organizational Change Highlighted
Leaders also emphasized the need for policy clarity and internal reforms. Palpa District President Himal Dutta Shrestha said both policy and leadership must be approved by the convention, calling for a clear stance against forming electoral alliances and proposing an internal election committee within the party.
Gorkha District President Nandu Neupane argued that leadership selection should be performance-based and inclusive, stressing that the special general convention should unite, not divide, the party. Kaski District President Krishna Dutta Baral said the Congress must redefine its political direction, making it more modern, inclusive, and democratic.
Leaders from Lumbini, Madhesh, Bagmati, Karnali, and other provinces raised issues ranging from good governance, youth employment, federal budget distribution, internal discipline, and term limits for ministers and lawmakers. Several speakers also called for stronger inclusion of Dalits and marginalized communities in party policy documents.
Madhesh leader Mukta Yadav openly advocated projecting Gagan Thapa as the party’s future prime ministerial candidate, while other representatives demanded transparent asset investigations of party-nominated ministers and stricter internal accountability mechanisms.
Leadership Decision Now Imminent
With the Election Committee officially moving ahead and the election schedule made public, the Special General Convention is now poised to enter a decisive phase. Party insiders say the coming days will determine whether the convention leads to a significant shift in both leadership and policy direction within the Nepali Congress.
