Kathmandu [Nepal], October 5 – Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa on Monday presented the political report at the party’s 15th General Convention, outlining his assessment of Nepal’s current political situation and the future direction of the main opposition party.
Thapa presented the report during the closed session on the second day of the convention, focusing on the role of the Nepali Congress and its political direction.
The report, prepared for the Nepali Congress’ 15th General Convention, calls for a major self-assessment of the party’s weaknesses over the past two decades and proposes ending pre-election alliances, reforming governance, transforming the economy and increasing leadership participation by the younger generation.
Thapa’s report describes the public mobilisation of Bhadra 23 and 24 as a natural and legitimate expression of public dissatisfaction. It also acknowledges the party’s recent electoral defeats as a result of its own internal weaknesses.
The convention comes as the Nepali Congress prepares to elect its new Central Working Committee.
Nepal’s former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba along with a panel of leaders from the Nepali Congress skipped the opening ceremony of the 15th General Convention of the party as the intra-party rift continues to widen.
The General Convention of the oldest party of the Himalayan Nation is being held nearly 8 months after the special convention held in January this year before the election. It is the party’s first regular national convention since December 2021.
At the January special convention, Gagan Kumar Thapa became the party president which was convened by over 54 per cent of party delegates, replacing Sher Bahadur Deuba’s leadership. The Election Commission officially recognised Thapa’s committee on January 16 and the Supreme Court upheld that recognition on April 17, though the court agreed in August to review its decision.
While the Thapa-led establishment is conducting the regular convention to fulfil statutory requirements, Deuba’s camp continues to boycott the process and has called a rival gathering for December 7 to 9.
The party’s Central Election Committee has released the election calendar with the election process beginning at 5:00 pm on Monday with the publication of the voters list. Claims and objections to the list will be accepted until 6:30 pm followed by publication of the final voters list at 8:30 pm.
Candidates will be able to file their nominations from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Tuesday. The preliminary list of candidates will be published at 4:30 pm followed by a period for claims and objections. The second list of candidates is scheduled to be published at 7:00 pm.
Candidates can withdraw their nominations until 9:00 am on October 7, with the final list scheduled to be published at 10:00 am the same day.
Voting for the Central Working Committee is scheduled for October 8 from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm at polling stations at Rastriya Sabha Griha, Khulamanch and Pragya Bhawan in Kathmandu. Vote counting will begin after polling concludes.
The Nepali Congress, Nepal’s main opposition party, began its 15th General Convention on Sunday.
