Purna Bahadur Khadka Challenges Nepali Congress Disciplinary Committee

Kathmandu. Outgoing Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka has challenged the disciplinary committee of the Nepali Congress. Khadka issued the challenge on Monday by releasing a statement on the party's letterhead in his capacity as Acting President.

The central working committee led by Gagan Thapa, elected during the special general convention held from Poush 27 to 30, was granted official recognition by the Election Commission on Magh 2. Following this, officials from the 14th General Convention, including Khadka, became outgoing members.

However, a writ petition filed by Sher Bahadur Deuba, who was elected president at the 14th General Convention, and leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala against the commission's decision is currently pending in the Supreme Court.

Despite the Thapa-led committee being active, Khadka issued a statement on Chaitra 14 as Acting President, expressing objection to the arrests of former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman K.P. Sharma Oli and former Home Minister and Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak.

On Chaitra 17, he also called a meeting of the central working committee elected from the 14th General Convention in his capacity as Acting President.

Following his challenge to the committee recognized by the Election Commission, the central disciplinary committee formed by the special general convention warned on Chaitra 18 that it would initiate disciplinary action against Khadka.

The committee warned of action for the misuse of the Acting President title and the party's letterhead.

The disciplinary committee decided to caution Khadka, stating that issuing unauthorized statements using a fake party letterhead was wrong. The statement issued after the meeting read, 'Henceforth, the party will initiate action against anyone engaging in such misconduct in accordance with the Nepali Congress Statute, 2017 (including amendments) and prevailing Nepali laws.'

Khadka has challenged that warning. He issued a statement on Monday (yesterday) using the party's letterhead as Acting President. Expressing his views on active membership, Khadka wrote, 'Party membership obtained by risking one's life when the Nepali Congress was banned during the non-party autocratic Panchayat system is not a matter that can be revoked by any leader through speeches driven by impulse, agitation, or whim.'

Congress President Thapa had stated during a Madhesh Province-level election review program on Chaitra 25 that the central committee had revoked all active memberships of the party. 'Through the decision of the recent central committee, we have revoked all active memberships of the Nepali Congress party,' Thapa said. 'Everything is revoked. There is no active membership now.'

Khadka has expressed objection to Thapa's statement. In his release, Khadka wrote that claiming only those who update their active membership can participate in the general convention is outright illegal, biased, and objectionable.

'Active membership is not just a certificate of an individual's party affiliation, but a testament to their contribution and continuity linked to the party's historical life,' Khadka stated.

Following the opposition from the rival faction, General Secretaries Pradeep Paudel and Gururaj Ghimire clarified on Monday that the campaign was not to revoke active memberships but to organize and update them. General Secretary Paudel explained that the party has initiated the update process to make the membership system robust, transparent, and effective.

After Khadka challenged the committee's previous decision, a meeting of the disciplinary committee has been called for Wednesday, Baishakh 2. Disciplinary committee secretary Dinesh Thapa Magar announced via a statement on Monday that the meeting is scheduled for 11:00 AM at the party's central office in Sanepa.

The disciplinary committee, coordinated by central member Taraman Gurung, includes central members Dhana Khatiwada and Subash Pokharel as members.