Nepali Congress leader Shekhar Koirala has said that the party must hold its general convention and contest the upcoming elections under new leadership.
The government has announced the House of Representatives (HoR) elections for March 5, 2026. Koirala is in favor of holding the 15th general convention before that.
“We must hold the general convention before the upcoming general election and contest the polls under new and fresh leadership,” Koirala said during a meeting with central members and district presidents close to him at his contact office in Bishalnagar on Friday morning.
Koirala said that he has long been calling for the 15th general convention to be held by December 15, 2025. If it cannot be held by mid-December due to time constraints and the current situation, it must be completed by mid-January 2026 under any circumstances, he added.
"While preparing the schedule for the end of Paush, it should be done in such a way that it does not clash with the election schedule published by the Election Commission," he said. In the central committee, General Secretary Gagan Thapa has proposed holding the general convention from December 31, 2025 to January 3, 2026.
Koirala further said that the Nepali Congress must now move forward united, seriously, responsibly and with restraint.
“Everyone associated with the party must prioritize the nation, the people, and democracy,” he said. “Since the party has faced many ups and downs in the past, we must unite in the coming days with the belief that unity is strength, and no one should think that only they are right.”
He said that he wants unity and reconciliation within the party.
“I want to end factions, sub-factions, and splits. We must move forward without bias toward anyone,” he added. “It is the honest, loyal, and continuously active members across the country who have been saving the party.”
He said that millions of well-wishers of the party and all external parties are waiting for the Congress’ decision. Although the party’s central committee meeting commenced on October 14, the schedule for the general convention has not yet been approved.
