NC Confronts Revolt

The Special General Convention of the Nepali Congress, which began at the initiative of general secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma on Sunday, is expected to have a sweeping impact on the life of the country's oldest democratic party. The establishment faction, led by president Sher Bahadur Deuba, stood against the Special General Convention, but more than 56 per cent of the party’s general convention delegates participated in it, providing much-needed legitimacy. 

Secretaries Thapa and Sharma had pushed for the party's internal reforms and leadership transfer in the aftermath of the Gen Z movement in September last year. For this, they called for the Special General Convention as demanded by over 54 per cent of the general convention representatives, in line with Article 17 (2) of the party's statute. As per this, 40 per cent of representatives can call the Special General Convention. 

Based on this provision, over 54 per cent of the 14th general convention representatives submitted their signatures to the party leadership but it rejected the petition and stressed holding a regular convention to pick the new leadership. Amidst the triangular factional feud, the two general secretaries revolted against the establishment and organised the Special General Convention to revamp policy and organisational structures. 

Deuba and Shekhar Koirala-led factions have stayed off the convention. Deuba, who had handed over the leadership mantle to vice president Purna Bahadur Khadka following the Gen Z movement, continues to pull the strings but now he is likely to lose his clout as the closed-session of the special convention has already decided to dissolve the Central Working Committee elected by its 14th convention in 2021.    

Addressing the enthusiastic presence of the delegates, Thapa said that the NC was not the party of slaves and corpses, but a party of living people. A party unable to tolerate internal questioning can't respond to the society's concerns, he added. His remarks were directed to the establishment faction that refused to accommodate the demands of the rival groups. Another general secretary, Sharma, said that even after 30 governments in 34 years, people remained frustrated, and the special convention would provide ground for a fresh start of the party. 

The Gen Z revolt that rose against misrule, corruption, instability, unemployment and nepotism also brought crisis to the established political parties, which often resorted to syndicate and power politics. The NC Special General Convention is seen as an attempt to overcome an existential threat to their relevance. The convention will select a new interim leadership to run the party until its 15th general convention. Whatever the outcomes of the convention, the NC's internal conflict may not come to an end anytime soon. 

The Deuba faction will flex its political muscles despite losing its moral and legal ground, as most delegates have shifted to the Thapa-Sharma camp. The Shekhar Koirala faction is also seeking due space within the party amidst the push and pull of the two other camps. If these three factions fail to reconcile with each other, they will drag the party into a legal battle to settle the legitimate leadership dispute. 

The convention has taken place at a crunch time as the nation will go to the polls in 52 days, which may pose challenges to its election campaign. Although the NC jamboree is concentrated on its internal issues, it also has a clear message to the national politics: the grassroots functionaries speak up if the top leadership dares to suppress their calls for reform and inner-party democracy.