Nepali Congress leader Purna Bahadur Khadka has said that they want the party to remain united.
Speaking at a gathering held in Dhumbarahi on Tuesday, Khadka said that while they are in favor of party unity, it ultimately depends on the leadership.
“We want the party to remain united, but it is in the hands of the leadership,” a leader quoted Khadka as saying. “It is the responsibility of party President Gagan Thapa and Vice-president Bishwa Prakash Sharma to bring all sides together. They must be willing to unite the party.”
Khadka also said that when President Thapa visited his residence, they discussed current political developments and ways to unite the party.
He stressed that the leadership should present a framework for consensus to ensure party unity.
For holding a regular general convention, Khadka proposed merging the current central committee – which emerged from the special general convention in January – with the central committee elected during the 14th general convention. He also suggested forming an organizing committee for the 15th general convention and ensuring all factions are represented in everything from active membership management to the election committee.
The faction led by then-president Sher Bahadur Deuba had not participated in the special general convention.
Tuesday’s meeting in Dhumbarahi, led by Khadka, included office-bearers, central members, province presidents, and district presidents elected from the 14th general convention.
Syangja district president Raju Thapa, who attended the meeting, said that it was a discussion among those favoring a regular general convention.
“This meeting was about how to unify the path forward between those supporting the special general convention and those supporting a regular general convention,” he said. “We also discussed how to strengthen the party through grassroots campaigns. This will not affect the ongoing campaign. Discussions were also held on how scientific it is to update active memberships.”
He added that the meeting was not factional but aimed at bringing both sides together.
Leader Ramhari Khatiwada said that discussions focused on how to make the 15th general convention a convention for broader party unity.
“Discussions have begun by bringing all colleagues together, and a conclusion will probably emerge. Regional and district presidents have also said that it is our duty to unite the Congress, and that President Gagan Thapa will have a key role in uniting the party,” he said.
According to leader Min Bahadur Bishwakarma, the Deuba faction discussed election reviews, reasons behind electoral defeat, how to conduct the 15th general convention, and ways to maintain party unity.
“The main objective of this meeting was to discuss how to make the 15th general convention a convention of unity,” he said.
