A fresh but serious debate has surfaced in the Nepali Congress over whether to hold the party's convention soon or only after the March 5 general elections. Moreover, the party is still undecided whether to hold a regular general convention or a special one.

This issue has caused friction between the two Congress factions and the situation is worsening.

After the party failed to come up with a timeline to hold the general convention—special or regular, one of the two general secretaries, Gagan Thapa, did not even attend the party’s Central Working Committee meeting on Thursday.

Ahead of the meeting, Thapa met separately with Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka and the other general secretary, Bishwa Prakash Sharma. Thapa had earlier proposed a schedule for the general convention to be held by mid-December.

Thapa chose not to attend the meeting after Khadka rejected his proposal, said a leader close to Thapa.

In the second week of October, Thapa had proposed holding the party convention from December 12 to 14.

There is intense debate going on in the Congress on leadership change following the Gen Z uprising of last month. Party president Sher Bahadur Deuba has already assigned the responsibility of acting party chief to Khadka, one of the vice presidents in the party.

The rival faction is planning a separate gathering on Saturday to pile pressure on the leaders to make a decision on the convention.

Citing the snap parliamentary elections announced for March 5, 2026, the establishment faction, now led by acting president Khadka, is forming its position for holding the party's regular convention only after the date.

The establishment faction enjoys a majority in all elected bodies including the central working committee and wants to give parliamentary election tickets to the candidates close to it. Therefore, Deuba, Khadka and the entire establishment side do not want to lose this opportunity, two leaders close to the rival faction told the Post.

Since Deuba cannot contest for a third straight term, the establishment faction also lacks a common candidate for the post of party president, they said. “They do not want to concede and are seeking their favourable and convenient time to hold the party convention.”

In order not to hold the party convention ahead of the elections, Khadka has been holding separate meetings of his camp and group regularly. He is also exerting pressure on rival camps led by the general secretary duo Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma and senior leader Shekhar Koirala to hold the convention only after the March elections.

Prakash Sharan Mahat, the party spokesman, claimed that there is strong support within the party for holding the general convention only after the March elections.

Mahat is close to Deuba, who is undergoing treatment in Singapore along with his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba. The Deubas were attacked by a mob on September 9 during the Gen Z uprising.

Speaking to journalists after the Central Committee meeting, Mahat said that most of the leaders who spoke on Thursday support a regular convention. But the rival faction wants to hold the convention before the polls.

“If the government guarantees security, we should go to the polls,” Mahat said. “Currently, regarding the 15th general convention, there are differences of opinion on whether it should be held before or after the elections. The entire party should be united on this. After that, the general convention plan can be discussed.”

However, as per the spirit of the Gen Z movement and the signatures of 54 percent elected representatives to the general convention who demanded the special convention ahead of the elections or by mid-December, the ongoing central working committee meeting has a crucial decision to make.

The elected representatives to the general convention submitted their petition to acting party president Khadka in the second week of October and demanded a special convention. But as per the party charter, the Congress should hold its 15th general convention by mid-December. The establishment faction is reluctant to hold the convention of any kind, rival faction leaders allege.

As per its charter, the party can extend the tenures of all elected bodies by one year. The establishment faction is “politicking” by showing this clause but the rival faction argues that the party will face a humiliating defeat if it goes to the elections under the incumbent leadership. The rival faction is planning to hold separate gatherings within days if the central working committee cannot find a way out.

At the Thursday meeting, as many as 15 central working committee members spoke and were sharply divided over when to hold the party convention.

Central member Pradeep Paudel said there is no alternative to holding a general convention and bringing policy reforms in the party.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Paudel said the party needs a general convention even to correct itself.

“Leadership alone is not everything—we also need to make changes in our policies,” he said. “It is necessary to make policy reforms to discuss issues raised by the Gen Z groups… and matters such as constitutional amendments.”

He said that the party should finalise its new policy before going to the March polls.

Leaders close to the establishment faction such as Bagmati Province President Indra Baniya, Bahadur Singh Lama and Laxmi Khatiwada said it will not be possible to hold either a regular or a special general convention by mid-December. In 2021, the party concluded its 14th general convention by mid-December. Therefore, the terms and mandates of all elected bodies of the party will expire by mid-December.

Baniya, who is also the chief minister of Bagmati Province, stated: “At present, there is a debate on whether to hold a regular or a special general convention. A special convention must be held within three months of the proposal made. However, it looks unlikely that the convention can happen by mid-December.”

As per the party charter, after submitting signatures of over 40 percent elected representatives, the central working committee should convene the special convention within three months. But the establishment faction is against holding the special convention by mid-December and wants to defer the convention till after the elections.

Both Lama and Khatiwada stated that the ongoing meeting should unanimously set the date for the party’s regular convention.

Amar Singh Pun, president of the Nepali Congress Lumbini Provincial Working Committee, has said that it is unrealistic to think the party can go to the elections and come back as a major force while keeping the current internal tensions unresolved.

General Secretary Sharma proposed holding the regular general convention tentatively from December 31 to January 3.

General Secretary Thapa has already proposed holding the convention from December 12 to 14. The proposal is under consideration.

“Let’s take some more time and hold a regular general convention itself. For that, the date from December 31 to January 3 would be appropriate,” Sharma stated in his proposal tabled on Thursday. “Poush 16 [December 31] is also the historic date when the leader BP Koirala returned to Nepal with the policy of national unity and reconciliation.”

Sharma also proposed initiating dialogue with all political parties for bringing national politics back on track. In addition, he proposed forming a three-member task force to talk to the Gen Z leaders who have emerged as key political players following their September 8–9 movement.