Thirty-one leaders aligned with dissident former Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba are set to join the central working committee led by party president Gagan Thapa, after the party agreed to accommodate members of the previous committee ahead of the 15th general convention.

A meeting of the party’s central working executive committee on Sunday decided to accommodate all members of the central working committee elected under Deuba’s leadership in the current committee, provided they participate in the party’s convention process beginning on September 19.

The decision is aimed at addressing an eight-point demand raised by the Deuba faction, including the integration of members from the previous and current committees and arrangements for the convention’s organising, election, statute-drafting and disciplinary committees.

“The meeting has decided to make the necessary arrangements, in accordance with the party statute, for the members of the former central working committee to participate as members of the central working committee in the process of the 15th general convention,” the party said in its decision.

General Secretary Pradeep Paudel said the party wanted to accommodate everyone, including Deuba’s supporters and those who were left out of the central working committee after the January special general convention.

However, leaders who do not participate in the ward-level convention process will not be granted membership of the central working committee, Paudel said.

The party has also indicated that it is prepared to suspend provisions of its statute, if necessary, to accommodate the former members. The party president is authorised under the statute to nominate 61 members to the central working committee. Thapa has so far nominated 19.

“If more nominations are needed beyond that, the relevant provision of the statute can also be suspended,” Paudel said. “The main issues have been addressed. The door for an agreement is open.”

The decision has encouraged a group of Deuba-aligned leaders to abandon plans for a parallel convention and join the process led by Thapa.

The 31 leaders issued a joint statement on Saturday calling for party unity after Deuba and another senior leader, Shekhar Koirala, failed to reach an agreement with the Thapa-led establishment. Most of those who signed the statement are now expected to join the central working committee.

The group includes former joint general secretary Mahalaxmi Upadhyay Dina, Gandaki Province chief minister Surendra Pandey and former Bagmati Province chief minister Indra Bahadur Baniya.

Other signatories include Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, Shyam Ghimire, Min Bahadur Bishwakarma, Ram Hari Khatiwada, Nain Singh Mahar, Sita Kumari Rana, Saraswati Bajimayi, Man Bahadur Nepali, Radha Ghale, Govinda Bhattarai, Umesh Jung Rayamajhi, Ishwari Neupane, Sita Gurung, Shanti Pariyar, Sushila Thing, Ganesh Lama, Rama Koirala Paudyal, Lalit Jung Shahi, Pradeep Kumar Sunuwar, Anil Rungta, Maya Rai, Kantika Sainjuwal, Minakshi Jha, Kalpana Chaudhary, Saraswati Aryal, Harisharan Nepali and Krishna Yadav.

Most of them had previously been regarded as members of Deuba’s faction and were left outside the central working committee after the special general convention.

Shyam Ghimire, one of the leaders who signed the statement, said all but one or two of the signatories were ready to join the Thapa-led committee. He said other former central committee members were also in contact with the party leadership.

“Not only those who signed the statement but others are also in contact. Including them, I see around 40 former central committee members joining the party headquarters in Sanepa,” Ghimire said.

The development represents a setback for efforts by the Deuba faction to hold a parallel convention. The faction had announced its own schedule, with ward-level conventions beginning on October 1 and the central convention scheduled for October 7-9.

The Thapa-led establishment has scheduled ward-level conventions from September 19 and the general convention for October 2-5.

The dispute centres on the legitimacy and timing of the 15th general convention, with the Deuba faction arguing that the convention should be held under the leadership elected by the party’s 14th general convention.

The faction has since expanded its earlier eight-point demand into a broader condition for an agreement: that the general convention must be conducted under the leadership of the committee elected by the 14th general convention.

That position has contributed to a split within the Deuba camp. Purna Bahadur Khadka, who was acting president and had led the Deuba faction until about a month ago, has moved closer to the Thapa-led establishment after the party agreed to address the eight demands he had previously submitted.

Khadka had opposed turning a national gathering of dissidents scheduled for August 14-16 into a convention, saying the move risked creating a formal split within the party. Deuba subsequently replaced Khadka with former general secretary Shashank Koirala as coordinator of its parallel convention organising committee.

Khadka has since urged leaders and cadres close to him to participate in the party convention process beginning on September 19.

Ram Hari Khatiwada, a leader close to Khadka, said Khadka himself had not immediately appeared at the party headquarters in Sanepa because a petition seeking a review of the Supreme Court ruling recognising the party’s January special convention remains sub judice. Other leaders aligned with Khadka, however, were expected to join the central committee.

The Supreme Court on August 7 allowed a review of its earlier ruling, which recognised the special general convention and the central working committee led by Thapa, changing the circumstances surrounding the dispute, according to the Deuba faction.

Deuba-aligned leaders have argued that the convention should not proceed until the court review is settled. They also say they cannot accept a convention held under a leadership other than the one elected by the 14th general convention.

“We are not in favour of a split, which is why we still have nine months left [in the party’s term],” former minister and Deuba ally NP Saud said. “Our position is that there is no need to rush into the convention. If the convention is stopped, there will be room for dialogue and negotiations. But there cannot be a situation where one side holds a convention and we do not.”

Deuba has also indicated that an agreement could be possible if the party recognises him as president, according to a member of his faction.

“Otherwise, there is no alternative but to wait for the court’s decision,” the member quoted Deuba as saying. “I don’t see Sher Bahadur ji being prepared to accept a convention held under Gagan Thapa’s leadership.”

Saud said the party’s agreement to address the eight demands did not resolve the central issue created by the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the review.

“The issues concerning the retention of renewed active memberships and the integration of the central working committees from the 14th general convention and the special general convention are all matters that predate the court’s permission for review,” Saud said.

“After the review was allowed, the situation is that the committee elected by the 14th general convention has a statutory duty to hold the 15th general convention. That is also the proper course.”

Koirala, who had also remained outside the Thapa-led convention process, has now withdrawn from it after Deuba declined to reach an agreement.

Sanjay Gautam, a leader close to Koirala, said their faction would not participate in the convention process beginning September 19.

“We have yet to discuss what we will do about the convention scheduled by the Deuba faction from October 1, but we will not participate in the process beginning on September 19,” Gautam said.