A growing momentum towards a special general convention called by Nepali Congress general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma for Sunday and Monday has put party chief Sher Bahadur Deuba and his core supporters under pressure.

The establishment camp led by Deuba tried to block the participation of a majority of Congress general convention representatives in the special convention but the January 11-12 event is now heading towards a “super majority”.

Over a majority of elected representatives will join the special convention and pick a new leadership, which is going to cause the biggest crisis for the Congress since its 2002 split. After that, two Congress parties had later merged in 2007.

Deuba still sounds confident of keeping the Congress whole. On Friday, talking to a delegation of the party-aligned Nepal Students Union, Deuba said, “I will not let the party split.”

Separately, Deuba assigned former home minister Ramesh Lekhak to talk with Thapa and Sharma and find a way out of the impasse.

But Friday’s discussions between the general secretaries and Lekhak were not productive, said a Congress leader. Efforts are on to find a win-win situation but due to an overwhelming support for the special convention and the rigid position of the two general secretaries, a special convention has become inevitable, the leader added.

“The establishment faction seems to have become defensive from Friday.”

If the Congress splits after a special convention mandates a leadership change, that will lead to a legal and political crisis for the Congress and heightened conflict between the two factions.

Out of the 4,556 elected representatives to the 2021 general convention, as many as 2,488 had signed and submitted a memorandum at the party headquarters on October 15 last year and demanded the special convention as per the party charter.

But the special convention is getting more and more support despite the establishment faction’s obstructionism. Several of the party’s sister organisations also have sought to take part in the convention.

General Secretary Sharma on Friday said that a special convention had become inevitable with more delegates extending their support to it.

As of Friday evening, at least 40 Congress district presidents have stood in favor of the special convention. More are expected to join by Sunday.

According to Sharma, of those 2,488 initial signatories, only 24 have withdrawn and new representatives have joined. By Friday evening, 2,580 representatives had stood in the favour of the special convention. Sharma claimed that 500 more representatives will throw their weight behind the convention.

After Thapa and Sharma refused to budge from their plan to organise the special convention, more members of the Deuba faction switched sides. Even the party’s provincial and district committees dominated by Deuba supporters have come forward to support the special convention.

According to organisers, Bagmati Province has the most number of representatives (512) who have signed in to the special convention, followed by Lumbini, Koshi, Madhesh, Gandaki, Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces.

Dispelling the notion that the party will split just because of a special convention, Sharma said that the provision in the Congress statute must be trusted to serve the party well.

He further added: “The Nepali Congress will go to the March 5 elections united. The party will field single candidates in all 165 constituencies.”

Sharma said that the special convention will determine the procedure for leadership selection.

With the special convention appearing increasingly unstoppable, some Congress leaders are also trying to draw in President Deuba so that the whole of the party takes ownership of the event.

Nepali Congress leader Sunil Sharma said that the special convention will be an inclusive event.

Speaking to the media at Bhrikutimandap, the venue of the special convention, on Friday, Sharma emphasised that the convention would provide a new solution for the Congress.

“In reality, it should have been Deuba who initiated this convention, because 40 percent convention delegates had already demanded it. It is their duty and moral responsibility to adhere to the party’s constitution. However, they neglected it,” Sharma said about Deuba and his top supporters. “Now, the special general convention will resolve issues within the party. We are working to make this convention inclusive.”

Campaigners of the special convention said they will send out invitations to Deuba, acting party president Purna Bahadur Khadka and other office-bearers to attend the convention.

Congress leader Chandra Bhandari said Deuba must attend the convention.

“Effectively, the Nepali Congress is Deuba’s party and he should be present at the convention. As delegates from all districts will be attending, it is the duty of the party leaders to attend as well.”

The establishment faction has termed the current situation “critical” and a result of “geopolitical interest and internal reasons”.

A total of 40 central committee members from the establishment faction gathered on Friday morning to discuss the emerging scenario.

The meeting concluded that the party has reached a key turning point in its history, said Guru Baral, a central member. “So we need to be vigilant against internal and geopolitical conspiracies that are said to be afoot to split the party”.

There are active efforts to divide and weaken the party, he added. There was a discussion on how to prevent a split in the party and how to maintain its unity, said Baral, who participated in the meeting. “If the Congress becomes weak, Nepali democracy may not survive.”

The meeting reportedly decided to summon its members from across the country so as to prevent a division. Baral also hinted at efforts being made to find a middle way for reconciliation, based on suggestions from the party’s district presidents.