Kathmandu: Nepali Congress General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma have postponed the party’s regular general convention and announced the start of preparations for a special general convention.

Issuing a joint statement on Thursday evening, the general secretaries informed that the regular general convention could not proceed as scheduled and that preparations are now underway for a special general convention.

A meeting of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee held on Mangsir 15 had decided to convene the regular general convention from Poush 26 to 28, and the schedule was made public accordingly. However, the general secretaries expressed dissatisfaction after the party leadership failed to move forward with the programme as planned.

According to the statement, following the House of Representatives election held on Falgun 21, the need for a special general convention arose to realign the party’s leadership in line with the new public mandate. On Asoj 29, as many as 54.58 percent of the party’s general convention delegates submitted a signed request to the central office demanding the convening of a special general convention. The party statute requires that such a convention be called within three months of the demand.

“The primary option to address the demand for a special general convention, signed by more than 54 percent of the general convention delegates and registered at the central office, was the regular general convention. However, as the regular general convention could not be held on time, a special general convention has emerged as the alternative,” the statement said.

Citing Article 17(2) of the party statute, the general secretaries said it is the responsibility of the central office to address the demand for a special general convention, and efforts under that responsibility would be carried out as unanimously as possible.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee is being held today at the party’s central office in Sanepa at 3 pm. The meeting is expected to discuss the party’s 15th general convention and contemporary political issues. Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Poudel said office bearers and Central Working Committee members have been requested to attend.

The meeting has been convened in the wake of the decision by the general secretaries to postpone the regular general convention and initiate preparations for a special general convention.