Nepal’s grand old party, the Nepali Congress, appears to be gearing up for its 15th general convention, although the party has yet to announce a date.

The general convention, which adopts new policies and programmes, as well as elect new leadership, is due to be held by the end of this year. But it could be delayed by another year, even as party leaders engage in campaigning, camp-hopping and churning out strategies in preparation, according to party insiders.

Amid shifting dynamics in the Congress, some long-time allies of party president Deuba met him on Friday and asked him to hold the team together and not sideline those who have been supporting him for decades, said Gopalman Shrestha, a central committee member of the party.

Besides Shrestha, incumbent party vice president Purna Bahadur Khadka; former vice presidents Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakash Man Singh, Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar; former general secretaries Krishna Prasad Sitaula, and Shashanka Koirala; and leaders including Balkrishna Khand, NP Saud, Umakanta Chaudhary, Prakash Sharan Mahat, were present at the meeting.

However, some of these leaders including Khand and Saud, unhappy with Deuba, had reportedly shifted allegiance to the rival Shekhar Koirala camp, even though they swore allegiance to the party president.

During the meeting, the leaders complained of being sidelined, and even accused Deuba of not consulting them and failing to call meetings of his camp. They pressed him on when the general convention would be held and whom he plans to support as his successor.

Vice president Khadka, who is under fire in the camp for not inviting former office bearers to a recent gathering of Congress district presidents in Pokhara, left the meeting early.

“For quite some time, we had been planning to sit down with him, especially as reports are circulating in the media and within the Congress that at least two candidates will be vying for party president in the upcoming general convention,” Nidhi told the Post.

Shekhar Koirala, who lost to Deuba in the last general convention, and incumbent general secretary Gagan Thapa, have already announced their desire to contest for party presidency.

Koirala and Thapa belong to the same camp and had previously contested as a team for the post of party president and general secretary, respectively. Though Koirala and Thapa have already declared their candidacies, it remains unclear whom Deuba will support from his own camp.

“Speculations are running wild in the media and in Congress circles—we were watching these developments closely as well as seriously. The way we, former office bearers, were not invited to the recent gathering of the party in Pokhara also made us take this seriously. So I met with Prakash Man Singh and Shashanka, and we together decided to meet Deuba to voice our concerns,” said Nidhi.

Due to the party’s moratorium, Deuba cannot contest for a third term as party president.

Both Koirala and Thapa have started aggressive campaigns for party presidency, travelling across the country as part of their organisation strengthening drive. Some Congress leaders speculate Deuba might back Thapa in the upcoming convention, but Thapa has dismissed such claims.

In a recent interview with Kantipur Television, Thapa stated that he and Shekhar Koirala are still in the same camp, and he has not left the team. He also denied that Deuba is backing him.

“I have no special relationship with Deuba beyond the kind of relationship that party president and general secretary have,” said Thapa during the interview. Yet Thapa’s recent statements also suggest that his alignment with Deuba is growing.

In Friday’s meeting, former general secretary Sitaula, who had also contested for party presidency against Deuba in the last general convention but supported him in the second round, reaffirmed his loyalty to Deuba. “We will continue to support you in the upcoming general convention as well,” said Sitaula. “You have to take up this team’s guardianship and lead us forward.”

Other senior leaders including Nidhi, Singh, Shrestha, Gachchhadar, and Mahat, also spoke in the meeting.

Shrestha urged Deuba to pick a senior leader from among his old supporters.

“You have stopped calling us, but you cannot abandon us like this. You have also stopped seeking our suggestions, but you should listen to us as we are your trusted friends who have always stood by you in difficult times,” Shrestha said in the meeting.

Deuba responded that he did not call a meeting of his faction because as party president, it would be unwise to convene the meeting of only one group. “The entire party is mine, so I did not call a meeting of just one faction,” Deuba said at the meeting, according to leaders.

Deuba also sought suggestions on when to hold the 15th general convention. But as the party is still distributing active memberships, a December convention appears increasingly unlikely.

As per the party charter, the party must hold a general convention every four years. But there is also a provision to extend the convention date by a year, plus another six months as per the country’s constitution.

“Some office bearers have already started their elections campaigns,” Nidhi told Deuba. “But who represents your team ? We are ready to take responsibility and contest the elections.” Other leaders echoed Nidhi.

But it is difficult for Deuba to manage his team as leaders like Nidhi, Sitaula, Singh, Shashanka and Mahat are interested in running for the post of party president. Leaders at the meeting told Deuba that the next party president should come from his team—and not from the rival camp.

Deuba, according to the Congress leaders, wants to push back the general convention to after the 2027 general elections. This is reportedly because he wants to distribute election tickets to his loyal leaders in the 2027 polls.

He keeps telling party leaders that holding a general convention ahead of general elections could affect poll results. Those who lose elections for party’s top posts in the general convention could, Deuba fears, plot to defeat the party’s own candidates.

But several party leaders are for holding a timely convention. “If we cannot hold the general convention by this December, we have to conclude the convention by December 2026 at the latest,” said Nidhi.