No Convention or Special General Convention of the Congress Has Taken Place: Min Bishwakarma

Kathmandu. Min Bishwakarma, the head of the Nepali Congress Publicity Department, stated that they visited the Election Commission to inform them that the Gagan Thapa faction has been spreading confusion by claiming official status for the party.

Speaking with journalists on Friday, Bishwakarma shared that 135 Central Working Committee members, including Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka, went to the Election Commission. According to him, the Gagan Thapa faction's claim is baseless, and he clarified that the party has not called for any special general convention.

"The authority to call a special general convention lies only with the President and the Central Committee," Bishwakarma said. "They held a gathering under the chairmanship of the Kathmandu District President; that might be a Kathmandu District convention, but it is not a central-level special general convention."

He mentioned that the party leadership became serious after learning that some former leaders had come to the Election Commission claiming that the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee had changed or been updated, which led to confusing news reports in the media.

According to Bishwakarma, the party's official stance was presented at the Election Commission in the collective presence of more than 135 central members, including President Sher Bahadur Deuba (elected from the 14th General Convention), Vice President and Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka, Shekhar Koirala, Prakash Man Singh, Bimalendra Nidhi, and Kalyan Gurung.

"No convention or special general convention of our party has taken place so far," he said. "According to the unanimous decision of the Central Working Committee, the schedule has already been set for ward conventions on April 3 and the Central General Convention on May 11, 12, and 13."

He further clarified that the Nepali Congress has already submitted its closed list for the proportional representation system to the Election Commission, registered candidates for the National Assembly, and has been officially participating in all commission meetings.

"In the meantime, some individuals calling themselves the Nepali Congress have been making claims without any legal basis," Bishwakarma said. "We went to the Election Commission to provide information based on preliminary principles to protect the legitimacy and authenticity of the party and to clear the confusion."