Congress leader Shekhar Koirala, who has been pressuring for a regular general convention ahead of the elections, has finally come out in favor of a special general convention. After a long discussion with General Secretary Gagan Thapa on Tuesday, Koirala also came out in favor of a special general convention.

Leaders including Guru Ghimire and Devraj Chalise, who had started a signature campaign demanding a special general convention, were also present at the discussion held at Koirala's liaison office in Bishalnagar. "Koirala and General Secretary Thapa have reached an understanding to move forward with the same agenda for the general convention. There is no difference of opinion between the two leaders in any way," said leader Chalise, who participated in the meeting.

During the discussion, Koirala mainly raised two concerns. In which, if the establishment party is ready to propose a schedule to hold a regular general convention by mid-Poush, then it should be done, otherwise, if there is a situation where the regular general convention is not held but only the schedule is sought, then a special general convention will be an option.

He also said that the decision should be made by the Central Working Committee itself, without verifying the signatures of 54 percent of the general convention delegates.

 ‘The two leaders have reached an understanding not only that if it is not regularized, a special general convention should be held before the election, but also on how to proceed if the establishment party obstructs it,’ Chalise said. ‘Now, the possibility of a regular general convention is low, and Shekhar Dai is clear that a special one should be held.’

General Secretary Thapa, on the other hand, said that some leaders, including former office bearers of the establishment party, are trying to stop both the regular and special general conventions, and expressed the view that they should face them and move forward. Thapa and another General Secretary Bishwaprakash Sharma are also doing the necessary homework for the special general convention. 

A petition has been submitted to the party central office in Sanepa on 28 Asoj, with the signatures of 54 percent of the delegates of the 14th General Convention, demanding a special general convention. The statute stipulates that a special general convention must be called within 90 days if a demand is made with the signatures of at least 40 percent of the delegates of the general convention. The date of the special general convention demand with signatures will be 90 days on 12th December. 

Since then, the former office bearers of the establishment party are pursuing a strategy to reject both the regular and special general conventions before the elections with the majority of the Central Working Committee. They have called another meeting of the establishment party on Wednesday to convene the necessary strategy. President Sher Bahadur Deuba, on the other hand, is holding talks with leaders on Tuesday as well to find a middle ground for a solution. He is calling second and third level leaders separately to understand their views.