Congress At Crossroads

The Nepali Congress is synonymous with democracy in Nepal. Formed on April 9, 1950, through the merger of the Rastriya Nepali Congress, constituted on January 25, 1947, and the Nepal Prajantra Congress formed in October 1948, the party has remained a leading political force for over 75 years. It waged and led the epoch-making political revolutions, including the 1951 movement that ushered in democracy in Nepal and the People's Uprising of 2006 that uprooted the monarchy. 

Founded by BP Koirala and Subarna Shumsher and later led by Ganeshman Singh, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Girija Prasad Koirala, the Nepali Congress also spearheaded the People's Movement of 1990 that restored multi-party democracy in Nepal. The government led by its leader Shusil Koirala promulgated the constitution drafted by the people-elected Constituent Assembly in 2015. Although several parties now operate in Nepal, most follow the political system and policies championed by the Nepali Congress in one way or another.

However, this grand old party is at a crossroads with a deepening rift between the pro-people and pro-leadership factions. The crisis began when the leadership employed ploys not to hold the 15th General Convention before the March 5 polls and to extend its tenure and that of the party, contrary to public expectations that the party should go to the people with reforms and a new leadership by convening the General Convention beforehand. This was also one of the key demands of the Gen-Z movement of September, which forced the party out of power. 

However, when the youth leaders exerted pressure by demanding a Special General Convention, the leadership had agreed to hold the 15th General Convention before the elections on January 10-14. However, when the Central Work Performance Committee meeting of the party the other day decided by a majority to defer its 15th General Convention to May and extend the tenure of the central committee until mid-May, the crisis has deepened further. The meeting also termed the demand for a 'Special General Convention' irrelevant.  

 Stating that the leadership’s argument that the call for a Special General Convention became “irrelevant” is unconvincing, two General Secretaries – Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma – are now preparing to convene the Special General Convention as demanded by 54 per cent of the party's General Convention representatives. According to the party statute, the tenure of the current central committee under normal circumstances expired in December last year, and the demand for the Special General Convention becomes mandatory if 40 per cent of the General Convention Representatives demand it. 

At the heart of the present dispute lies a fundamental disagreement over the process and power. Interpreting the party statute and even the Constitution to suit political convenience has long been a habit of Nepal's politicians. The same leader who dissolved the Parliament while in power often opposes the move when out of office.  Similar practices are evident within political parties.   When a clear majority – 54 per cent – of the party's General Convention representatives demand the Special General Convention, a provision explicitly recognised by the party's statute, is thwarted in the strength of majority, the fissures are sure to be exposed further.

Obviously, the demand for the Special General Convention emerged from prolonged frustration with the actions and decisions of a narrow leadership circle loyal to party president Sher Bahadur Deuba. If the party president fails to intervene and find a solution in the broader interest of the party, and the Special General Convention is convened, the oldest democratic party risks sliding into turmoil just weeks before general elections. Weak political parties ultimately weaken democratic stability itself, which Nepal can ill afford.