Congress 15th General Convention amid Division

Sabika Shrestha

Nepali Congress has begun its 15th General Convention which will run from October 4 to 6, 2026, at Kathmandu’s Tundikhel, as a faction led by former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba prepares for a parallel convention. The development comes amid a prolonged dispute over the legitimacy of the party leadership.

The Convention is being held under party president Gagan Thapa, who was elected at a special general convention held in late 2025. The special convention followed last year’s Gen Z-led protests and brought a new generation of leadership to the forefront.

Several leaders and cadres who had stayed away from the special convention are now participating in the 15th General Convention. Former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka and senior leader Shekhar Koirala have also distanced themselves from the Deuba faction. However, leaders including Shashank Koirala, Krishna Sitaula, Bimalendra Nidhi and Prakash Man Singh continue to support Deuba.

The dispute over the party’s official leadership had reached the Election Commission, which on January 16, 2026, recognized the faction supporting the special convention. The Deuba faction challenged the decision at the Supreme Court. On April 17, 2026, the Supreme Court also recognized the Thapa-led faction, although it later allowed a review of its earlier verdict.

Attempts at dialogue and reconciliation between the two factions continued, but the Deuba faction has now decided to proceed with a separate convention. It has announced that its central general convention will be held from December 7 to 9, 2026.

The Congress is also using the convention to push for organizational reform and greater youth participation. The party says around 44,000 young people have taken responsibilities through the convention process, while more than 7,000 delegates are participating.

The convention venue, Tundikhel, also carries historical significance for the party. It is where B.P. Koirala addressed the public after returning from exile and where Ganesh Man Singh announced the success of the 1990 people’s movement.

Under the theme “An Energetic Congress, A New Commitment,” the party says it aims to make the convention more than a leadership-selection exercise by focusing on policy, institutional reform and a new political direction.

The Congress now faces the challenge of managing the leadership dispute, internal power balance, generational change and efforts to reconnect with younger voters while seeking to redefine its political identity.