Nepali Congress faces potential split amid leadership dispute

The Nepali Congress is facing a significant internal rift as leadership disputes threaten to split the party. The conflict has divided members into three primary camps: the establishment faction led by party president Gagan Kumar Thapa, the faction supporting former president Sher Bahadur Deuba, and a neutral camp around Shekhar Koirala.

Thapa’s faction is moving forward with the 15th General Convention, with ward-level meetings scheduled to begin on September 19. In response, more than 35 leaders previously aligned with Deuba returned to the party’s central office in Sanepa on Thursday, though it remains unclear if this signals a reconciliation or a shift in political strategy. Deuba’s allies have urged the suspension of the current convention schedule to allow for direct dialogue, warning that proceeding without an agreement could make a party split unavoidable.

Former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka has also issued an appeal via social media, urging Thapa to postpone the convention and initiate talks with Deuba and other senior leaders. Khadka warned that a division within the Nepali Congress could trigger similar splits in other major political parties, such as the CPN-UML. Meanwhile, legal questions regarding the party’s symbols and flag are currently before the Supreme Court.