Nepali Congress General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma has discussed one possible option for a tentative schedule for a special general convention.
Sharma outlined the proposed schedule while speaking to journalists outside the party’s central office in Sanepa on Friday as he arrived for a central working committee meeting.
He said the central working committee itself could announce a special general convention based on this timetable.
According to him, an opening ceremony of one or two hours could be held on the morning of January 10, followed by a closed-door session. During the closed session, reports on four or five key issues could be presented and discussed.
The reports to be tabled would focus on how the Nepali Congress views the current situation, how it plans to address economic, social, and political issues, how it intends to advance the good governance agenda raised by the Gen Z movement, and what kind of Nepal the party envisions over the next decade, among other topics.
On the same day, candidate nominations could be filed between 2 p.m. and 4-5 p.m., followed by electronic voting from 7 a.m. to 12 noon on January 11.
“Since voting will be electronic, the results will be out by the evening,” he said.
Sharma also suggested an alternative in case the general convention cannot proceed under this schedule.
“Even if we are unable to move toward leadership selection, a special general convention will not split the party,” he said. “It will take decisions with a commitment to keep the party united.”
He said that the central working committee meeting would hold detailed discussions on such options and take a decision.
Rejecting concerns that a special general convention could divide the party, Sharma said, “At this moment, the Nepali Congress carries the responsibility of uniting the entire society. A party tasked with bringing harmony, good governance, and prosperity by bringing society together will not split.”
“No one should think that the Nepali Congress will split. This party will not be divided under any circumstances and will remain united in all situations,” he said.
On Thursday, General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma had issued a joint statement saying that the 15th general convention had been postponed and that the central office was moving toward a special general convention by consensus.
The joint statement was issued at a time when party President Sher Bahadur Deuba and acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka had not released any notice after the 15th general convention failed to move forward according to schedule.
