Nepali Congress Leader Attributes Electoral Defeat to Internal Strife Over Special General Convention

Nepali Congress leader Shyam Ghimire has claimed that the main root of the party's embarrassing defeat in the recently concluded elections was the internal conflict and the dispute over the Special General Convention. He analyzed that the power struggle within the party just before the elections sent a negative message to the public, resulting in the Congress shrinking.

According to Ghimire, at a time when they should have been preparing for the elections, Congress leaders were entangled for five months in a technical and legal battle over whether to hold a 'Special General Convention or a Regular General Convention'. He stated that the activities carried out in the name of the Special General Convention raised questions about the party's legitimacy.

He argued that the seed of defeat was sown when a large faction of the party could not accept the Election Commission's recognition of the new leadership. Edited excerpts from Ghimire's conversation with News Agency Nepal on this matter are as follows:

• There are reports that a meeting of the Central Committee decided by the previous General Convention has been called, is this true?

I have no formal information on that matter. In my opinion, there has been no formal decision to call a meeting. However, friends are currently in a very uncertain situation. The party has been badly defeated. Some friends elected from the 14th General Convention who are in the Central Committee are currently sitting without a role. While there is a voice suggesting something should be done at such a time, the situation has not yet reached the point of formally calling an official meeting of the Central Committee. Informal meetings and contacts naturally occur in politics.

• Are you aware of the Nepali Congress Special General Convention taking place?

We have already faced the consequences of whatever happened in the name of the Special General Convention. We spent five months fighting over 'Special or Regular General Convention' right before the elections. This fight disturbed the overall unity of the party and sent a bad message to the public, which became the main reason for the defeat. The foundation of the trust that the party would achieve very good results under Gaganji's leadership has also been shattered.

The biggest loss was that we could have held a major public mandate by showcasing Gaganji's face for the next election. He was our face of hope, but we 'exposed' him at an unnecessary time. This is an irreparable loss for the Congress. Now, how to revive and manage this loss is a major challenge for us.

• The issue of the Special General Convention being illegal is pending in the Supreme Court; won't the maneuvering happening now affect the case?

In my understanding, waiting for the court's decision is the most appropriate option right now. Nepal's judiciary has lost some credibility due to the practice of not delivering timely justice and only issuing verdicts after the relevance has passed. The judiciary must improve this practice and deliver a verdict as soon as possible to gain public trust. Only after the court's decision will the party reach a conclusion. After that, regardless of who wins, there is no alternative but to unite the party and move forward.

In the past, in 2015 BS, even though there were different factions of BP, Suvarnaji, and Surya Prasad Upadhyaya, tickets were distributed after mutual agreement. In elections from 2048 to 2079 BS, leaders from Girija Prasad, Kisunji, Ganesh Man to Deuba-Paudel balanced power and contested elections. However, in the 2082 BS election, tickets were distributed unilaterally. Coordination was not even done with the outgoing President Sher Bahadur Deuba. Tickets were given even when he said he would contest. This bitter reality within the party must be accepted. Leadership does not come from outside; it comes from within the party, so everyone must be included.

• A meeting of the Central Committee elected through the Special General Convention is currently underway; if it decides to hold a Regular General Convention, what effect will it have on the Deuba faction?

Going to a Regular General Convention is both a compulsion and a necessity. Even if the court revives the old Central Committee tomorrow, or if the current committee organizes it, a Regular General Convention must happen. We will only be successful and ready for the next election if we maintain unity within the party and go to the convention, regardless of which faction wins. If the arrogance of 'I have won, so only I will prevail' persists, there is a possibility that the Congress will shrink even further in the next election.

• If a Regular General Convention is announced, there won't be a need for parallel practice, right?

There will be no need for parallel practice. Once the convention process begins, the practice of ideological groups to win their respective factions will naturally start, which is normal. This eliminates the need to establish two parallel centers of power within the party. However, if any faction tries to move forward by sidelining or overshadowing another faction, parallel activities might occur, which will cause greater damage than what is happening today. Informal discussions before the court's verdict are one thing, but in my view, it is not appropriate to undertake any concrete formal activities right now.