Nepali Congress Fractures Deepen as Rival Factions Set Parallel Conventions
A deep factional split has pushed the Nepali Congress toward parallel general conventions, with rival groups led by Gagan Kumar Thapa and Sher Bahadur Deuba preparing separate assemblies.
The Nepali Congress is heading into competing 15th general conventions after internal divisions widened into an open dispute between party president Gagan Kumar Thapa and former president Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Thapa's establishment faction commenced ward-level conventions on September 19 and is preparing for its central general convention in Kathmandu from October 2 to October 5. Deuba's camp has rejected that calendar, setting its own ward conventions for October 1 and scheduling a rival central convention in Kathmandu for December 7 to December 9, according to Himal Khabarpatrika and The Kathmandu Post. A third camp led by Dr. Shekhar Koirala has distanced itself from both factions, declining to join either gathering.
Legal Battles and Institutional Recognition
The split hardened following a special general convention held in January by Thapa and general secretary Bishwaprakash Sharma. The Election Commission recognized Thapa's presidency later that month, and a Supreme Court joint bench consisting of Justices Sharanga Subedi and Nripa Dhwoj Niroula upheld that decision on April 17, dismissing an initial challenge brought by Deuba and former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka.
Deuba's camp subsequently filed a petition on July 13 seeking a review of the Supreme Court ruling, as reported by Himal Khabarpatrika. In court filings submitted by representatives Deepak Khadka and Shrawan Kumar Shrestha, the Deuba camp alleged that Thapa leaked internal political strategy to United States Embassy officials in Kathmandu, citing published diplomatic cables. Deuba allies told The Kathmandu Post that the pending review keeps the leadership contest unsettled.
Electoral Collapse and Shifting Alliances
The internal crisis intensified following the political upheaval of September 2025 and the subsequent March 5 parliamentary elections. As detailed by Himal Khabarpatrika, the Nepali Congress suffered an unprecedented defeat, plummeting from 89 seats to 38 in the House of Representatives, with Thapa, party general secretaries, and all incumbent office-bearers losing their direct constituencies.
After about five months in Hong Kong, Deuba returned to Kathmandu in mid-August and delivered speeches emphasizing Hindu identity, prompting scrutiny over the faction's ideological direction. Formal reconciliation between the rival camps remains elusive.