Nepali Congress is facing an internal rift as General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma push for a "Special General Convention" on January 11-12, directly challenging Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s official schedule for the 15th General Convention in May, 2026.
Despite the party establishment’s directive to cancel the Special Convention, the duo has formed 18 committees and claims the support of 54% of General Convention delegates.
Provincial power dynamics
The Thapa-Sharma faction holds significant sway in some provinces while struggling in the establishment strongholds.
Bagmati (strong): Majority of the provincial committee and 6 out of 13 district presidents support the Special Convention.
Lumbini: (strong): Eight out of 12 district presidents are aligned with the General Secretaries.
Koshi (moderate): Strong presence in the provincial executive and support from 5 out of 14 district presidents.
Gandaki (moderate): Four district presidents are firmly aligned; Provincial President Shukra Raj Sharma remains undecided.
Madhesh (mixed): Strong in the provincial committee but weak at the district level (only 2 out of 8 district presidents support Special General Convention).
Karnali: (weak): Only 1 district president (Salyan) supports the move; the rest remain loyal to Deuba.
Sudurpashchim (weak): Only 3 out of 9 district presidents favor the Special Convention.
Institutional and factional divide
While major sister organizations like Nepal Student Union and Tarun Dal remain under Deuba’s control, the General Secretaries have garnered support from professional wings, including the Doctors' Association and various ethnic and trade unions.
General Secretary Sharma has proposed rebranding the event as a Resolution Conference to prevent a formal party split. However, Thapa insists on following the party bylaws to mandate the special session.
Meanwhile, 29 out of 77 district presidents have openly backed the duo, leaving the remaining 48 aligned with either Deuba or senior leader Shekhar Koirala.
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