The internal rift within Nepali Congress (NC) appears to be heading toward a resolution following a positive first round of talks between the establishment faction and the group led by General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma.
The dispute, triggered by a "Special Convention" organized by the General Secretaries, saw a breakthrough during a three-hour meeting in Lazimpat on Tuesday morning. Eight key leaders representing three major camps—President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Shekhar Koirala, and the General Secretaries—participated in the dialogue.
"The first phase of discussions has concluded on a positive note," said leader Ramesh Lekhak. "We have identified the core issues and remain committed to keeping the party united. A second session is scheduled for 2:30 pm today."
According to party sources, the establishment faction is now willing to take "ownership" of the Special General Convention. To facilitate this, the Central Working Committee (CWC) is expected to meet at 1:00 pm today to overturn its January 2 decision, which had previously declared the Special General Convention illegitimate.
Key demands
While the establishment side is flexible on policy matters, three major demands from the General Secretaries' camp remain under negotiation. The dissident group wants the Acting President to sign election tickets instead of President Deuba. General Secretary Thapa has previously vowed not to contest elections under the current leadership's signature.
The General Secretaries have proposed fielding Gagan Thapa as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate for the upcoming elections.
Besides, the rival faction is demanding a guaranteed 40% share in ticket distribution, arguing that the Special Convention demonstrated significant grassroots support for their side.
While the establishment faction is hesitant to grant all three demands, insiders suggest both sides are working toward a "win-win" compromise to ensure the party enters the upcoming elections as a unified force.
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