The 14th Mahasamiti meeting of the Nepali Congress kicked off in Lalitpur on Monday. The Mahasamiti, the party’s main policy-making body, is expected to discuss various pressing issues such as policy direction, organisational structure, and the party’s future strategies.

Over 2,200 representatives are taking part in the four-day jamboree, where they will deliberate on a quartet of reports presented by party leaders.

Party president Sher Bahadur Deuba inaugurated the Mahasamiti meeting and opened discussions on amending the party charter.

Party chief Deuba and General Secretary Gagan Thapa have for long feuded over whether the Congress should enter into alliances with other parties in the upcoming elections.

Thapa, while presenting the organisational report at the party’s central working committee meeting last week, had clearly stated that the Congress should refrain from contesting new elections in an alliance with other parties and that Congress cadres should be allowed to cast their votes on the party’s symbol in the next elections.

Bishwa Prakash Sharma, the other general secretary of the party, was of the view that such a decision on alliances could be taken right ahead of the elections.

A large section in the Congress believes the party should contest elections independently—on its own strength.

After Thapa’s proposal stirred controversy in the party and threatened the very foundation of the existing ruling alliance between Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre), Deuba is learnt to have pressured Thapa to rewrite his proposal and present an amended version at the Mahasamiti meeting on Tuesday.

To assuage concerns about the potential risks to the current alliance if the Mahasamiti endorses Thapa’s proposal, Deuba and Congress vice-president and Deputy Prime Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday, according to sources at the prime minister’s secretariat.

“There is no need to doubt the current coalition’s future,” Deuba told Dahal, according to a source.

Several issues will be discussed, but no decision will be taken to discontinue the present alliance, Deuba reportedly told Dahal in a bid to remove his doubts.

In order to reconcile the differences between him and Thapa, Deuba called a meeting of past and present office bearers of the party at his residence on Monday, according to Min Bishawkarma, head of the party’s publicity department.

The party’s top brass held an hours-long meeting at Deuba’s residence on Tuesday to arrive at a consensus on whether to have an alliance, convene the general convention on time, and amend the party charter. “Leaders from Deuba and Thapa camps tried to find a middle ground so that all the papers presented in the Mahasamiti meeting could be endorsed unopposed,” according to a Congress office-bearer who was present at the meeting.

After hours-long discussions, Deuba, according to the Congress leader, agreed not to form electoral alliances in the upcoming elections.

“Thapa’s proposal to avoid alliances has been approved and it will be tabled at Tuesday’s meeting,” the office bearer said. “Some language in Thapa’s paper will be adjusted before it is presented at the meeting tomorrow.”

“This came as a surprise to us. Deuba, who had earlier opposed the idea, relented at last. Some leaders close to Deuba also favoured Thapa’s proposal after which Deuba endorsed the proposal. With the new understanding, Thapa’s proposal has been sent for printing,” the office bearer added.

“Nepali Congress will now commit to fighting future elections independently,” said another Congress leader.

If the Mahasamiti meeting endorses Thapa’s political line and rejects pre-poll alliance for upcoming elections, it will threaten Deuba’s chances of becoming prime minister after two years, as has been agreed among the parties in the ruling coalition.

Some ruling party leaders claimed that there was a gentlemen’s agreement between Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Deuba and CPN (Unified Socialist) chief Madhav Kumar Nepal that they would take turns serving as prime minister. As per the deal, Dahal and Deuba would each serve for two years, and Nepal for one year.

“So when Dahal completes his term after 10 months, it will be Nepal’s turn to be the prime minister for a year, followed by Deuba for two years. But if the Mahasamiti meeting endorses Thapa’s political line, a crisis of confidence might erupt in the ruling alliance and jeopardise Deuba’s chances of becoming prime minister,” another leader close to Thapa said. “That is why Deuba has had multiple discussions with Thapa in the past three days.”

Thapa had presented the report in the party’s central working committee meeting on Thursday. As per the Congress charter, any report should first be submitted at the party’s central working committee before it is tabled at the Mahasamiti meeting.

Deuba has also expressed his reservations about Thapa’s proposal to convene the party’s 15th general convention in 2025-end.

Thapa in his paper has clearly stated that the Congress should hold its general conventions on time. Thapa, one of the aspirants for party president, has also proposed amending the party’s charter and called for strengthening the role of party president.

Senior party leaders like Shekhar Koirala support Thapa’s report.

In his inaugural speech, Deuba said time has come to amend provisions of the national charter. “The constitution should reflect the aspirations, trust and respect of the people,” said Deuba. adding, “As it has been eight years since its promulgation, time has come to review some of its provisions.”

“We should evaluate the status of implementation of the constitution and identify the problems and complexities in the course of implementation. Without affecting the fundamentals of the constitution, time has also come to discuss amendments,” said Deuba.

Deuba also defended the existing coalition.

“I urge all friends to work together to ensure a majority in all three tiers of elections, and let’s strengthen the party organisation.”

In the inaugural session, besides Deuba, party’s vice-president and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dhanraj Gurung, party’s central working committee member Mahalaxmi Upadhyaya and party president of Lalitpur Jitendra Shrestha delivered their respective statements.

Meanwhile, those in favour of the restoration of Hindu state have started a signature campaign at the ongoing Mahasimiti meeting. Shankar Bhandari, a Congress lawmaker from Tanahun district, has taken the initiative for the restoration of Hindu state.

On Monday, as many as 400 Mahasamiti members signed the petition in favour of reinstating the Hindu state, according to Bhandari. “More will do so in the days ahead,” he added.

Bhandari and 21 other central working committee members had also submitted a petition at last week’s central committee meeting calling for discussions on the restoration of the Hindu state. They believe the Congress party should take the lead on the matter.