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Nepali Congress leadership and legal disputes

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2026-08-16 15:48 UTC → 2026-08-17 13:50 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Former Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has returned to Kathmandu following five months of medical treatment in Singapore and Hong Kong. His return occurs amidst a money-laundering investigation involving arrest warrants for him and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba, as well as an internal leadership crisis within the Nepali Congress party. Following his return, a dissident faction of the Nepali Congress held a three-day national convention from August 14 to 16. This group rejected the leadership of Gagan Thapa, who was elected president during a January convention that the faction did not recognize. Despite a Supreme Court ruling recognizing the Thapa-led faction as the official leadership, the Deuba-aligned group has filed a review petition, arguing the verdict was “legally flawed.” The dissident faction has decided to proceed with the party’s 15th General Convention under Deuba’s ~~leadership and intends to coordinate~~ leadership. This internal crisis has been further complicated by ideological disagreements regarding Nepal’s secular identity. During the Deuba-aligned gathering, some leaders proposed the inclusion of a Vedic Sanatan state in party ~~activities while continuing legal challenges~~ conclusions. While Deuba identified as a Hindu, he maintained that Nepal should remain a secular state, a position that drew objections from leaders like Bimalendra Nidhi, who argued such provisions conflict with the national constitution. In an effort to mediate the ~~court's decision.~~ power struggle, leader Shashank Koirala expressed a willingness to accept Thapa as president if senior leaders are accommodated within the party structure, describing the dispute as essentially a struggle over positions.

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