Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Divided Nepali Congress Holds Convention as Rival Plans December Meet
Nepal’s Nepali Congress party is holding a meeting led by Gagan Kumar Thapa.
Another group, led by Sher Bahadur Deuba, plans to hold its own meeting in December.
The disagreement grew after a special meeting in January replaced Deuba with Thapa as party president.
Nepal’s Supreme Court is considering whether that change was legal.
The Election Commission recognized Thapa’s group before the recent elections.
The party won 37 seats, while the Rastriya Swatantra Party won 182.
Thapa says the Congress needs to change how it works and listen better to people.
The convention is also discussing ways to include more young people, women and minority communities in party leadership.
Other leaders have called for the rival groups to reunite.
A convention led by party president Gagan Kumar Thapa began in Kathmandu on Sunday.
A faction led by former president Sher Bahadur Deuba plans a separate convention from December 7 to 9.
The Supreme Court is reviewing the legality of the January special convention that removed Deuba; the Election Commission recognized Thapa’s faction before the March 5 elections.
The Nepali Congress won 37 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives, while the Rastriya Swatantra Party won 182.
The convention is discussing leadership, organisational reform and greater representation for younger people, women and marginalized communities.
- Who
- The Thapa-led faction of the Nepali Congress; a rival faction is led by Sher Bahadur Deuba.
- What
- The Thapa-led faction began the party’s 15th General Convention while Deuba’s faction plans a separate convention.
- When
- The convention began on Sunday; Deuba’s faction plans its meeting for December 7 to 9.
- Where
- Kathmandu, Nepal.
- Why
- The party is divided over its leadership and is debating its direction and reforms after a major election defeat.
Thapa-led faction
Deuba-led faction
Party leadership and convention
Thapa-led faction
Thapa’s faction is holding the 15th General Convention after a January special convention elevated him to party president.
Deuba-led faction
Deuba’s faction rejects the change sufficiently to plan a separate general convention; the legality of the January meeting and Deuba’s removal is under Supreme Court review.
Party unity
Thapa-led faction
Thapa said he had invited Deuba and described honoring him as strengthening the party he built.
Deuba-led faction
Deuba was absent from the convention’s inaugural session, and his faction is proceeding with a separate meeting.
- Party convention
- The Thapa-led faction’s 15th General Convention began in Kathmandu.
- Rival convention
- Deuba’s faction scheduled its own convention for December 7 to 9.
- Legal review
- The Supreme Court is reviewing the legality of the January special convention and Deuba’s removal as president.
- Election Commission
- It recognized the Thapa-led faction before the March 5 elections, allowing it to field candidates.
- House seats
- Rastriya Swatantra Party: 182; Nepali Congress: 37; CPN-UML: 25, in the 275-member House.
- Representation rules
- The party statute provides for representation of people under 35, at least one-third representation for women, and greater representation for marginalized and minority communities in the Central Working Committee.
- Convention agenda
- Leadership selection, political direction, organisational reform and the role of younger generations.