Nepali Congress general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma inaugurated the party’s special general convention at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, on Sunday by lighting a traditional lamp.

From early morning, cadres took out rallies in support of the convention from Kupandole in Lalitpur and several locations in Kathmandu, including Sundhara, Ratna Park, Padmakanya Campus Chowk, Shankardev Campus and Kamalpokhari, before converging into a gathering at the venue.

Hundreds of Congress delegates have arrived in Kathmandu to participate in the jamboree.

The convention was inaugurated by the general secretaries duo after party president Sher Bahadur Deuba and acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka declined to attend it despite efforts from the organisers.

The second special general convention, called by Thapa and Sharma, is being held against the backdrop of a deepening intra-party dispute. Deuba declined to participate despite suggestions from some leaders that the event be turned into a consensus-driven gathering.

The establishment faction led by Deuba has opposed the convention, arguing it could split the party, and has instead pushed for the regular general convention scheduled for May. Congress spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat, who is close to Deuba, said the party should focus on the parliamentary elections due in March and put the special convention on hold.

Thapa and Sharma maintain that the convention was demanded by 2,488 elected representatives, more than 54 percent of the total. Leaders backing the convention say over 60 percent of elected delegates are participating.

Congress statute has a provision that makes it mandatory for the party leadership to call a special general convention if at least 40 percent of party’s elected general convention representatives demand it. A petition signed by 53 percent of the Nepali Congress general convention representatives was submitted at the party headquarters in mid-October, seeking a special general convention and election of a new leadership.

The organisers insist that the gathering aims to propose policy and organisational reforms while safeguarding party unity, even as uncertainty remains over whether it will lead to a change in leadership.