Gagan At The NC Helm

With the Election Commission (EC) formally recognising the Gagan Thapa-led Nepali Congress Central Working Committee (CWC) on Friday, the country’s oldest democratic party has entered a momentous phase of leadership transfer. As the EC announced its decision on the highly politically-charged dispute, its repercussions have reverberated beyond the NC’s internal organisational setting. 

Nepal’s major political parties, which are allegedly run by old yet tainted guards, will get a reality check following this landmark political development stimulated by the NC Special General Convention that put Thapa on the leadership pedestal. The outgoing NC leadership, led by Sher Bahadur Deuba, dug in its heels and turned down the call for a Special General Convention demanded by around 54 per cent of the delegates of its 14th general convention. This rejection proved to be a catastrophe for Deuba's political career, who is now forced to make a disgraceful exit from the party as well as national politics.  

The EC that settled the contested subject by a majority has offered three reasons to grant legal status to the Thapa-led committee. First, the NC statute has a mandatory provision to convene the Special General Convention if 40 per cent of its representatives petition for this. The election body found it legitimate when the general secretaries - Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma – moved to hold the Special General Convention after the CWC declined it. Secondly, the statute considers that general convention representatives hold supreme authority and their decisions are binding for the party leaders and cadres. The EC has established a precedent that Special General Convention delegates have the same rights as those of regular conventions. 

Thirdly, there was no significant opposition to the demand of the Special Convention, which implied that it was consistent with the spirit of the statute. The EC had faced mounting pressure to resolve this litigation as it had to marshal all resources and strength for the elections taking place within one and a half months. With the EC’s bold move, all decisions and resolutions of the Special General Convention have received legitimacy, while all retaliatory actions and moves taken by the Deuba faction against Thapa’s camp have been rendered null and void. 

Upon being recognised for his leadership, Thapa has urged all leaders and cadres at all levels, both within the country and abroad, to remain calm, responsible, and united, stating that internal disagreements should not be seen in terms of victory or defeat, but as part of a broader process of transformation. Vice-President Sharma has announced that the party would contest the next elections with Thapa as its prime ministerial candidate.

The Deuba camp has become utterly frustrated and has decided to counter the EC’s decision legally and politically. Its meeting, held on Saturday, agreed to file a case against the decision at the Supreme Court on Sunday. It has accused the constitutional body of violating precedent, the party’s statute, and election laws while recognising Thapa as NC president. However, the SC is unlikely to pass a verdict on this issue soon, given that a public holiday falls on Monday and candidates have to register their nominations on Tuesday to contest the elections for the House of Representatives. 

The NC has already formed a 13-member Parliamentary Board under President Thapa to distribute tickets to prospective candidates for the polls slated for March 5. Forced to eat humble pie, the Deuba camp has little option but to reconcile with Thapa, set to pursue sweeping reforms within and outside the party in the wake of the Gen Z movement that demanded corruption control, good governance, and prosperity to all Nepalis.