Kathmandu: Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa has been advised by the country’s enlightened intellectuals to move decisively toward holding a special general convention to establish rules and procedures within the party.

At an interaction organized in Kathmandu on Wednesday by General Secretary Thapa and other leaders in favor of a special general convention, participating intellectuals said such a step was essential for the party’s transformation and generational transfer.

Intellectual Sudarshan Acharya accused the party establishment of attempting to sideline dissenting voices by violating internal rules. Responding to discussions about possible action against the general secretaries, he said there was no basis for disciplinary measures when actions were being taken in line with the party statute and constitution. He advised leaders not to be intimidated, but instead to reach out to general convention representatives across the country and move ahead confidently.

Another intellectual, Arun Subedi, said the party had reached a “point of no return.” He argued that if the quorum required by the statute is met, a special general convention should be held to find a legal resolution. However, he emphasized that the party must not split under any circumstances, stating that only leadership elected by a majority of representatives would carry genuine legitimacy.

Similarly, Pratap Poudel and Bishwa Kumar KC stressed that the Nepali Congress must enter upcoming elections with new leadership, policies and direction. Quoting former Vice-Chancellor Kedar Bhakta Mathema, KC said, “A leader should be able to take risks; not taking risks is the biggest risk.” They noted that only a transformed Nepali Congress would be capable of addressing the aspirations of today’s youth and the country’s evolving political challenges.

Despite opposition from party President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka, General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma have already called for a second special general convention to be held in Kathmandu on December 10 and 11. While they have urged the party leadership to take ownership of the process, the establishment faction has continued to label the move as unconstitutional.