The Nepali Congress is at a crossroads as its two factions clash over the party’s general convention and control of parliamentary tickets ahead of the March 5 parliamentary elections.

Party president Sher Bahadur Deuba wants to delay the convention and retain control over candidates selection, while general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma want a special convention before the elections to assert their influence over the leadership.

The demand for a special general convention made by 54 percent of elected representatives to the general convention has drawn a clear line of division in the party, leaders said. If the central working committee meeting scheduled for Thursday can find a middle path, the party may remain united, or else, no one can stop a split, leaders told the Post.

“We don’t know what else to do,” said Ramhari Khatiwada, a central committee member. “We are doing everything we can to save the party, but with both factions holding rigid positions, a common point has been hard to reach.”

Control over ticket distribution remains at the heart of the dispute. Party president Deuba and his loyalists want to continue the current dispensation and retain control over ticket distribution, while the rival faction led by Thapa and Sharma wants to remove the current leadership and assert their own influence over candidate selection. This is why the Deuba faction does not want to hold the general convention ahead of the elections, fearing loss of dominance.

After the Congress sent a letter—signed by Deuba—to the Election Commission to register the party for the March 5 parliamentary elections as well as for the National Assembly elections scheduled for February 25, a direct confrontation between Deuba and the two general secretaries is looming large, said leaders.

On Monday, Thapa warned that Deuba would not be allowed to sign the candidate tickets for the upcoming elections. According to Thapa, there will be a leadership change in Congress ahead of the elections. He has insisted on holding the special general convention first.

A leader close to Deuba camp said that those pushing for a special convention want to convene it with a majority of delegates, change the leadership, and inform the Election Commission, so they can claim to be the mainstream Congress.

“But we will foil their plan,” the leader said. Some Deuba loyalists believe that these ‘tactical moves’ of Thapa and Sharma are bound to fail.

During the central working committee meeting, both Thapa and Sharma submitted separate proposals to hold a regular general convention, but the committee failed to endorse them. They also warned that if the party fails to hold the general convention, the only remaining option is the special convention.

As many as 54 percent of the central working committee members also submitted their signatures demanding a special convention, which Thapa and Sharma prefer. On the other hand, the Deuba camp insisted that if a special committee was convened, it would cause a vertical split in the party.

“If there is a special convention, it will take the Congress down the path of a split,” said Guru Baral, another central working committee member.

Both Khatiwada and Baral said on Tuesday that they see no positive signs or gestures that the Congress will find a middle path or reach some kind of consensus at the next central working committee meeting on Thursday.

Leaders supporting a special convention have called another gathering for Wednesday in Kathmandu.

Addressing a meeting in Udayapur on Tuesday, Sharma said the demand for a special general convention cannot be withdrawn under any condition.

“There is no ‘reverse gear’ on the special general convention,” he said. “The party statute includes a clause for registering a special general convention but does not include any clause for taking it back. A special general convention must be held within 90 days after the petition is registered. If there is an agreement to hold the regular general convention within that period, the demand for a special convention will be addressed,” he said. “It would be unfortunate if the Congress does not operate according to its statute and the country does not function according to the constitution.”

He also urged party president Deuba to maintain restraint, coordination, and maturity.

His remarks were echoed by other leaders in the camp.

“The only way to move the party forward is through the special general convention,” said Ajaya Babu Siwakoti. “Time has come for the party president to make a rational decision. If we can find a middle path by Thursday, that will be fine, otherwise, a new situation will emerge,” said Siwakoti, a close aide to Thapa.

Those in favor of the special general convention have said that they will not discuss regular general convention from now on.

Despite a month of meetings, the dispute over the convention’s timing remains unresolved, and the party remains divided.

Some office bearers and former office bearers from the Deuba camp want to postpone the general convention until after the elections.

“It seems difficult to find a common ground,” said former foreign minister NP Saud. “If we fail to arrive at consensus or a meeting point, the party is at risk of a split.” He also claimed that supporters of the special convention lack a majority in the party.

“If the majority of the elected delegates do not attend and support the special convention, then its decision will not be valid. Thapa, Sharma and others must therefore secure majority support for the special convention to be legitimate,” he said.

“As Sher Bahadur Deuba has declared that he is not contesting party presidency, the party leadership will automatically change,” said Saud. “But the demand for and insistence on a special convention has only intensified the feud, making it increasingly difficult to manage. Still, we are trying our best to manage the differences.”