Kathmandu: Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa has said that holding a special general convention is the only way to improve the party’s current situation through changes in both policy and leadership.

Speaking to media persons after the Central Working Committee meeting held at the party’s central office in Sanepa on Thursday, Thapa strongly criticized the party establishment.

Thapa said the ‘Gen-G’ rebellion that took place in the last week of Bhadra (23–25) brought a serious shift in Nepal’s political landscape. 

“The Nepal of Bhadra 22 and the Nepal of Bhadra 25 are not the same,” he said, adding that the party must seriously analyze why the rebellion occurred and where the Nepali Congress failed. According to him, such an assessment requires new policies and new leadership.

Special General Convention Inevitable
General Secretary Thapa stressed that a special general convention is the legitimate and unavoidable path forward, especially as the regular general convention could not be held on time. He recalled that 54 percent of the party’s general convention delegates had formally demanded a special general convention and made it clear that those signatures and proposals would not be withdrawn under any circumstances.

He dismissed claims by the establishment faction that a special general convention would split the party, calling such assertions misleading. “How fair is it to say that the party will split if the constitution is followed?” he questioned.

Allegations of Internal Pressure
Thapa also expressed frustration, saying that he and fellow General Secretary Bishwaprakash Sharma are being cornered within the party. He alleged that the leadership has never easily accepted younger general secretaries after they assumed responsibility.

He further revealed that he had sent an invitation to party President Sher Bahadur Deuba to attend the special general convention through Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka. Thapa said the ongoing struggle is not personal but aimed at the transformation and revival of the party.

Internal Tensions Intensify Ahead of Elections
The latest developments have pushed internal tensions within the Nepali Congress to a peak, coming at a sensitive time as the country prepares for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for Falgun 21.