Congress Internal Dispute Intensifies

Kathmandu. Polarization within the Nepali Congress is intensifying. The dispute exacerbated by the special general convention has reached its peak in recent times.

On the occasion of BP Smriti Diwas, the establishment faction and the other faction organized separate programs, further deepening the line of division within the party.

It is clear that these two groups will move in separate directions in the coming days. On Thursday, Congress President Gagan Thapa announced the 'NC for NC' campaign to take the party to the public level. According to President Thapa, the campaign will start from Bhadra 24. The campaign has been announced to prioritize social transformation and good governance.

On the other hand, former President Sher Bahadur Deuba and leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala's group has called for a national gathering on Shrawan 29. The other group has stated that the national gathering had to be called to seek a new direction, accusing the current leadership's working style of weakening the party.

These two different activities have created a new debate in political circles about the power struggle within Congress and its future political direction.

Two different forms of power struggle and party strengthening within Congress have surfaced simultaneously.

The other group has started preparations from Friday for the gathering called to break the current state of the party and set a new direction. Spokesperson Min Bishwakarma informed that the work of setting the criteria for selecting representatives to attend the gathering, distributing responsibilities, and finalizing agendas has begun.

He clarified that the gathering aims to revitalize the party ideologically and organizationally, and that political, economic, social, and organizational proposals will be thoroughly discussed there.

The dispute that began after the special general convention in the last week of Poush, and the Deuba-Koirala group among the leadership, have adopted a strategy to move forward in their own way.

On the other hand, party President Thapa announced the 'NC for NC' campaign with the slogan 'New Situation, New Resolve, New Campaign', instead of merely engaging the party in political speeches and internal conflicts, to connect with the joys and sorrows of the citizens. Thapa says that this campaign, which will start on Bhadra 24, the birthday of BP Koirala, aims to mobilize Congress leaders and workers to solve the direct problems of the people.

Congress has stated that the campaign will work in the areas of community service, citizen dialogue, civic education and leadership development, local innovation, and good governance. President Thapa said that under the campaign, workers will have to perform social work such as blood donation, tree plantation, and health camps, as well as facilitate in reducing the difficulties faced by the public in obtaining government services.

Congress has stated that the campaign will also be fruitful in establishing party workers as the 'watchdog' of society and assigning them the responsibility of monitoring the work of local governments.

The two activities have clearly drawn a line of division and competition within Congress. While the other group is preparing to demonstrate its strength through a national gathering by questioning the party's leadership and implementation of the constitution, the establishment faction appears to be trying to win the hearts of workers and the public through constructive work.

Leaders of the other group have warned that if efforts for unity and agreement within the party are not made even by the Shrawan gathering, they may chart a new course, which also indicates the danger of party split.

Other faction leaders Purna Bahadur Khadka and Dr. Shekhar Koirala have urged President Thapa to take everyone along, stating that otherwise, the leadership will have to take responsibility for the resulting situation.

At this time, Congress is simultaneously engaged in an internal conflict and a fight for its existence, while also facing the challenge of organizational restructuring and expanding public contact.

It is difficult to determine the future of Congress and the direction of Nepali politics in the coming days in this situation.

Political analyst and Tribhuvan University Political Science Professor Dr. Bheshraj Ghimire says that there is no immediate possibility of the party splitting. He states that the national gathering of the other group is intended to pressure the party to unite. 'The dissatisfied faction seems to have called a national gathering as a strategy to create pressure for the party to unite,' said Dr. Ghimire to RatoPati. 'The review petition filed by the other group in the Supreme Court will also create pressure for reunification. Possibly, reunification will occur in Congress before the Supreme Court's order and the national gathering.'

Ghimire said that it can be understood from the activities that the leadership elected from the special general convention is under great pressure to unite the party.

He said that looking at the workers who attended the program organized by the other group on Wednesday, President Thapa should compromise to strengthen the party and focus on resolving disputes.