Without deciding when the next convention of the Congress will be held, the exercise of increasing polarization within the party for the leadership has started.

Party Chairman Sher Bahadur Deuba is retiring from the executive role from the upcoming convention due to the provisions of the law that he cannot serve as a leader for more than two terms. With his retirement, there is a possibility of breaking the traditional faction within the Congress and starting a new polarization. 

Chairman Deuba has not yet prepared his successor. Party leadership aspirants are in the process of seeking his support. Within the establishment party, Congress Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Vimalendra Nidhi, Prakashman Singh, Shashank Koirala are in the race to get support from Deuba. But it is discussed in the Congress circle that Deuba is leaning towards the leader of the other party Shekhar Koirala and General Minister Gagan Thapa who have control over the organization. 

Leaders like Balkrishna Khan, NP Sawad, Prakasharan Mahat, Mohan Bahadur Basnet and others have started showing positive goodwill towards Shekhar Koirala. Deuba is pushing General Minister Thapa in the decisive role and discussion of national politics.

It is not clear who will be his choice between Koirala and Thapa. On the other hand, the clash between these two leaders has also started promoting a new polarization within the party. Last time, the main clash between Koirala and Thapa was seen in Koshi region. In Koshi, Koirala supporters called a meeting of municipal level presidents on November 18. The chief guest was Koirala himself. 

The leaders of the Koirala side believe that General Minister Thapa tried to stop such gatherings as being outside the party's constitution. With the aim of stopping the meeting, the party's chief secretary Krishna Paudel had issued a statement and mentioned that there was no party program in any province before November 22.

Due to this, Koirala boycotted the Koshi state conference on November 22 in his hometown Biratnagar. Koirala reached Chitwan that day saying that he was not consulted about the conference. He has been in Biratnagar since the end of the Koshi state conference. Due to these developments, even on the public platform, Koirala and Thapa have started to clash.  Chairman Deuba has also become suspicious of

leader Koirala. Deuba is particularly dissatisfied with Koirala's public statements on power politics. Koirala is not openly criticizing the functioning of the government. However, he criticized the ruling coalition's initiatives, including the removal of Deputy Speaker Indira Rana and Electricity Authority Executive Director Kulman Ghisingh.

Chairman Deuba is also cautious about the rebellion in Koshi province under the influence of Koirala when he was in alliance with the Maoists, said a leader of the establishment party, "Congress-UML drawing the line of the alliance by itself but coming under criticism less than 100 days after the formation of the new government has given more room for doubt." .' 

Koirala party leaders Hridayram Thani and Govind Pokharel claim that the issue raised for internal consumption in the party will not affect the relationship. They say that the relationship with Speaker Deuba and General Minister Thapa will not be determined by recent events. Thani asserted that the recent chaos in Koshi region will not last long.

After Deuba retires from the 15th Congress, he says that there will be a new kind of polarization in the party. Yesterday's group may be disbanded. New factions are formed. The old group is no longer there. The signs of that are beginning to be seen," Thani said, "It is not certain who will be Deuba's successor from the establishment side. Anything can happen in politics. Therefore, we suggest that Shekharji should proceed in an intelligent manner.' 

Koirala has already publicly announced that he will be a candidate for the chairmanship in the 15th Congress. Even though Mahamantri Thapa has not announced it publicly, he has been saying that his claim to leadership will be natural.

While Koirala and Thapa are fighting for leadership, some leaders say that it is not clear whether Deuba's attack on Koirala and Thapa in the early days is for the successor of the party or a strategy to secure the way to power after 18 months according to the agreement with UML. 

When the relationship between Koirala and Thapa deteriorated, Deuba seems to be comfortable within the party. It seems to Shekhardai that Gagan will not leave the leadership in the 15th Congress. On the other hand, Gagan is also said to be leaving Shekhardai. It is certain that the internal tug-of-war between these two leaders will increase the new polarization in the party," said another official of the Congress, "Sher Bahadurdai will only be separated from the executive role of the party, not from power politics. Therefore, even if he is not the chairman of the party tomorrow, he is still weighing up who is best to promote to remain at the center of power politics.' 

Congress leader Meinendra Rizal says that he cannot be sure about how many people will be competing for the leadership until the convention is over. According to the provisions of the law, a regular convention of the party must be held within 082 November. The fourteenth convention of the party was held in November 078. It is now one year since the end of the four-year term. But Rizal says that there are no signs of a convention in 082. The

statute has given the facility to extend it by one more year and before that, the convention was held every five years. If preparations are not made seriously to ensure the convention, the party convention will lead to local level elections. A party convention cannot be held on the eve of local elections. It increases the uncertainty, so the convention should be ensured first, said Rizal. 

Central member Nainsingh Mahar says that he will be ready to stand wherever the aspirants to come to the leadership. He also said that now the traditional factions will collapse and a new type of polarization aimed at the convention will increase within the party. 

Many people are under the pressure of age. Therefore, the aspiration to get the position is awakened. All are at stake to become stronger. They are just to show the traditional faction and confuse the people below. Those who go where there are facilities, now there is no leader who will leave if so-and-so is born," said Mahar, "now everyone seems to be around party chairman Deuba. Now Shekhardai and Gagan say, another one may come tomorrow.' 

Some people have started speculating that the relationship between Deuba and Thapa is for the 15th Congress. But the central members of the Thapa party say that the president has only ripped off the chief minister to run the party and to find ease in the issue of national politics. "Until now, even the chairman has not said anything. Even the Chief Minister has not spoken about being the chairman and asking for help,' said the member close to Thapa, 'It is not possible to say what the situation will be tomorrow.' 

Govinda Prasad Pokharel, a central member near Koirala, says that General Minister Thapa cannot be said to have met with the president yet. He said that the General Minister is obliged to work together with the Chairman to run the party.