Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa Meets Leaders to Resolve Party Disputes

Kathmandu. Gagan Thapa was elected party president from the special general convention held at the end of Poush last year amidst disagreements between the then central working committee of the Nepali Congress and the establishment faction. Although the Supreme Court has also given its official recognition to the special general convention, internal conflict within the party still persists. In such a situation, leaders are engaged in efforts to resolve the dispute. The recently held central committee meeting had given the responsibility to President Thapa himself to resolve the dispute seen within the party regarding the special general convention. Accordingly, President Thapa has been meeting with the disgruntled leaders to 'icebreak' the dispute. The 14th general convention-elected president Sher Bahadur Deuba-led committee and Dr. Shekhar Koirala's group were against the special general convention. Thapa has now met former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka, who is leading the Deuba group, and leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala as part of efforts to resolve the dispute. Leaders say that President Thapa and other office bearers are informally meeting with other leaders as well. President Thapa met former acting president Khadka at his residence in Golfutar on the evening of Baishakh 6. He met leader Dr. Koirala at his secretariat in Bishalnagar on Baishakh 22. Leader Khadka was met by President Thapa and Vice President Biswaprakash Sharma at his residence on Wednesday morning. Khadka's personal secretary Gautam BC informed that the meeting between the three leaders lasted for an hour and a half from 11 AM to 12:30 PM. 'The three leaders held discussions for an hour and a half from 11 AM to 12:30 PM. An agreement has been reached to resolve the party's dispute and move forward,' BC told Ratopati. This is the second time President Thapa has met Khadka after the special general convention. Regarding the first meeting with President Thapa, leader Khadka had briefed the leaders of his group at a meeting held at Smart Hotel in Maharajgunj on Baishakh 15. At that time, Khadka had stated that the president had asked for suggestions on how to unite the party, and he had informed the leaders about the suggestions he had made. 'It seems like half of the Congress is with the leadership and half is outside, so the party is currently divided into factions,' Khadka said about the conversation with the president. 'The responsibility to unite this completely or lead it towards division now rests on the shoulders of President Gagan Thapa and Vice President Biswaprakash Sharma. How to move forward depends on your plans and strategies.' Khadka informed that he is ready to end the factionalism within the party and establish complete unity. 'The future of party division or unity is in the hands of the leadership. We are ready to unite the party. The leadership needs to want it,' Khadka said at the meeting. 'I have clearly told him—there is no point in uniting the party in pieces, it should be done completely. The ball is now in your court on how to unite. Only after you prepare a concrete roadmap and proposal for unity can further discussions be held.' After that, President Thapa said that he would discuss with Vice President Sharma and come again for further discussion. President Thapa, who went with Sharma on Wednesday, has stated that he is ready to work together on the condition of uniting the party and to discuss what issues need to be resolved, according to Khadka's secretariat. In his meeting with leader Dr. Koirala on Tuesday, Thapa had also asked for suggestions on what issues to resolve. In response, Dr. Koirala suggested bringing a formula for dispute resolution. 'Give us the issues to be resolved, Mr. President. We are ready to resolve them,' said Dr. Koirala's secretariat about the conversation during the meeting. 'In response, Shekhar dai said, you are the president. Bring a plan on how to resolve this.' After that, President Thapa left, saying he would discuss with Vice President Biswaprakash Sharma and come with a plan. Meanwhile, President Thapa's secretariat stated that the president is trying to unite the party by being flexible in order to resolve the dispute. Joint General Secretary Uday Shumsher Rana informed that they are ready to resolve the dispute within the framework of the constitution and that the president is meeting with the leaders accordingly. Joint General Secretary Rana said that it was decided in the working committee meeting held on Monday to meet with leaders Koirala and Khadka. 'We are ready to move forward by resolving all issues that can be resolved according to the constitution,' said Joint General Secretary Rana. 'For that, the president has met with the leaders. He is meeting with the leaders accordingly.' Spokesperson Devraj Chalise also said that the establishment will move forward flexibly to unite the party within the framework of the constitution. After meeting with the President, Shekhar met Khadka and Arjun Narsingh KC Leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala discussed resolving the party dispute with former acting president Khadka and leader Arjun Narsingh KC after meeting with President Thapa. Koirala's personal secretary Dineshchandra Thapaliya informed that he met Khadka at his Bishalnagar secretariat on Tuesday and KC at KC's residence. Thapaliya said that discussions were held in both meetings on how to resolve the dispute that has arisen in the party after the special general convention.