The internal rift within Nepali Congress (NC) has deepened as the faction led by outgoing President Sher Bahadur Deuba and leader Dr Shekhar Koirala intensifies parallel party activities. This move comes in direct defiance of the "establishment" wing currently led by President Gagan Thapa.
On Monday, the Deuba-Koirala faction organized a congratulatory program at the Smart Hotel in Maharajgunj for newly elected members of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly. The event, attended by outgoing acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka and Dr Koirala, was viewed as a strategic counter to an orientation program held last Saturday by the Thapa-led establishment at the party’s Sanepa headquarters.
MP Niskal Rai and Geeta Gurung confirmed their participation, noting that senior leaders initiated the gathering to welcome new lawmakers. Further escalating the friction, the Deuba-Koirala group has summoned a meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) members elected during the 14th General Convention for Tuesday.
"We plan to review the latest political developments and election results," said National Assembly member Jitjung Basnet. "These activities will continue until the Supreme Court rules on the party’s leadership dispute."
The NC split into two camps following a special general convention on January 11-14, which dissolved Deuba’s CWC and elected Gagan Thapa as President. Deuba and Khadka have since challenged the Election Commission’s recognition of Thapa’s leadership in the Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled for April 5.
The establishment wing has reacted sharply to these developments. Joint General Secretary Yogendra Chaudhary criticized senior leaders for bypassing party statutes. "It is ironic that we must explain the party’s rules to those who taught them to us," Chaudhary remarked, emphasizing that no leader is above the party statute.
The party’s disciplinary committee, coordinated by Taraman Gurung, has called an urgent meeting for April 1 to discuss potential action against those conducting parallel activities.
Despite threats of disciplinary measures, the Deuba-Koirala faction remains defiant, planning a subsequent meeting with provincial and district presidents on April 2. While some provincial heads have transitioned their loyalty to Thapa’s leadership, others, including the presidents of Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces, continue to boycott the establishment’s proceedings.
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