Internal Rift Persists in Nepali Congress as Key Leaders Skip Elections, Campaign in Home Districts

The dispute within the Nepali Congress, which emerged following a leadership change in the special general convention, has still not been resolved.

Gagan Thapa was elected as the president in the special general convention held from Poush 27 to 30, amidst the boycott by the Sher Bahadur Deuba faction and Dr. Shekhar Koirala faction from the 14th General Convention. The Deuba and Dr. Koirala factions approached the Election Commission against that special general convention. However, after the Commission recognized the special general convention on Magh 2, the dispute reached the Supreme Court. While the Supreme Court has yet to resolve the dispute, the House of Representatives election is fast approaching. Due to the internal party dispute, most top leaders have not become candidates in the House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21.

A problem was foreseen as leaders who did not contest the election would not go to their home districts. Outgoing President Sher Bahadur Deuba, outgoing Acting President Purnabahadur Khadka, Deputy President Dhanraj Gurung, General Secretary Bishwaprakash Sharma, and Joint General Secretaries Badri Pandey, Umakanta Chaudhary, and Jivan Pariyar are not candidates in the election. Former General Secretaries Prakash Man Singh and Dr. Shashank Koirala, and leaders Balkrishna Khand, Ramesh Lekhak, and Bal Bahadur KC are also not candidates. General Secretary Sharma, having been unanimously elected as Deputy President in the special general convention, is working as the coordinator of the party's 'Election Mobilization Committee'. Leaders who were unable to become candidates against their wishes are gradually starting to go to their districts. Leaders say that this sends a message that Congress is united and has improved the atmosphere.

Leaders other than outgoing President Deuba, outgoing Acting President Khadka, and former General Secretary Dr. Koirala have gone to their home districts for election campaigning. Former General Secretary Prakash Man Singh has not been seen in election programs in Kathmandu.

Outgoing Joint General Secretaries Badri Pandey, Jivan Pariyar, and leaders Balkrishna Khand, Ramesh Lekhak, among others, have reached their home districts.

Outgoing Joint General Secretary Pandey had announced that he would dedicate himself to party work without contesting the election. Pandey has been in his home district of Bajura since last week.

Another outgoing Joint General Secretary Pariyar has reached his home district of Kaski and is engaged in election campaigning. He reached Kaski on Magh 11 and started campaigning.

Outgoing Deputy President Dhanraj Gurung is also in his home district of Syangja. Reaching Syangja, he stated that the election on Falgun 21 is a competition between making and breaking. "It is difficult to build, but easy to break. This election is a competition between making and breaking," Gurung wrote on social media, posting a picture of himself addressing an election-focused program in Syangja.

Similarly, Congress leaders Balkrishna Khand and Ramesh Lekhak have also reached their home districts. Khand has been participating in election-focused programs in his home district of Rupandehi since Monday. Outgoing Home Minister Lekhak reached his home district of Kanchanpur for the first time on Magh 12 after the restriction was lifted. He is still in his home district.

Youth leader Nainsingh Mahar has become the candidate in place of outgoing President Deuba. Mahar informed that Deuba will go to Dadeldhura for campaigning. "I met him in Kathmandu and came back. He said he would come to Dadeldhura," Mahar said.