The controversy over whether to hold a general convention and then go for elections has not been resolved since the first meeting of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee on October 28.

Why is Shekhar Koirala, who received 40 percent of the votes in the party's 14th general convention, nowhere to be seen in such a big controversy within the party?

Koirala is not in this stance of the general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma, who are in favor of holding a regular/special general convention before the election and changing the leadership and policy. Despite Thapa and Sharma meeting and repeatedly urging him to take the leadership, Koirala has not been able to appear in the special general convention.

However, representatives from Shekhar's side are also notable in signing for the special general convention. The pro-Koirala representatives who signed have complained to him that he did not come in favor of the special general convention.

The majority members of the establishment side have not given up their stance on holding the general convention only after the election, saying that they should not get caught up in the internal disputes of the party when they should be working on the election program and preparations. There are seven former office bearers in the establishment side under the leadership of this faction. Koirala does not seem to agree with their views either.

Various speculations have started to arise regarding this role of Koirala, who is not in any faction. According to a leader close to him, Koirala has become flexible towards the leadership as some leaders on the establishment side are indicating to support Shekhar after Deuba's 'retirement'. The leaders supporting the special general convention have accused Koirala of recently following the suggestions of leaders close to him on the establishment side.

Leader supporting the special general convention, Subash Pokharel, claims that the establishment side has gained strength in the dispute related to the general convention because leader Koirala is confused. Pokharel argues that the dispute has been prolonged due to his 'dholmul'. "If he says he is in favor of a special general convention, it is not visible anywhere. Even if he says he is in favor of a regular general convention, there has been no effort from him to hold a general convention before the election," Pokharel said. "If he had tried to bring the agenda of the general convention before the election, the preparations for the general convention would have progressed much further by now, but even if he does not want to show it externally, his behavior shows that he is trying to support the president internally." Pokharel said that Koirala has not yet come up with a clear idea about whether it is possible to go to the election by retaining the current president and adopting the current policy. "Most of us who are in favor of him are now in favor of a special general convention, but he says that a special general convention will split the party," he added. "Even if we are to accept his words, a special general convention must also be called to remove the provision of the statute that splits the party." However, Govinda Pokharel, a central member close to Koirala, does not agree with this statement. According to him, Koirala is still in favor of a regular general convention. He says that he is pressuring to bring the schedule of the general convention by mid-May.

‘The leaders of the establishment side say that they should be more flexible, while the signatory friends say that they should lead a special general convention.’ Pokharel said, ‘Shekhar Koirala is still in favor of a regular general convention.’

Meanwhile, President Deuba has also not been seen in favor of a special general convention. On the contrary, the leaders of the establishment side say that he is flexible in favor of holding a regular general convention by mid-May. The view that a special general convention will lead to a party split is seen in Deuba as well as in Koirala.

‘If there is no regular general convention within the period, there is a statutory obligation to call a special general convention. When calling a special general convention, one should not go towards verifying the signatories. If one goes towards verification, the party may split,’ said Shekhar Dai,’ Pokharel. ‘When calling a special general convention, the Central Working Committee should decide and call it. That alone will give all the representatives an opportunity to participate.’

President Deuba had held a long discussion with a team including former office bearers close to him on Thursday to reach a consensus before the Central Working Committee meeting. The meeting has been postponed several times and has been called for Friday.

In the process, former office bearers had pressured the Koirala-pro-representatives to not drop the ‘condition’ of withdrawing the application for the special general convention. Upon receiving the information, the leaders in favor of the general convention immediately said in a press conference that the demand for a special general convention would not be withdrawn under any circumstances. At the press conference, leader Devraj Ghimire expressed his regret that the leadership was ignoring the demands legally put forward by about 55 percent of the general convention delegates as per the party statute.

He said that it was unfortunate that President Deuba and Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka did not even formally discuss the special general convention by calling the leaders in favor of the special general convention.

The question of the special general convention leaders to Deuba: Are the interests of the country, democracy and the party paramount or personal interests?

‘It is the first duty of all of us to fully comply with the constitution. Our every activity, initiative and solution is and remains within the scope of the constitution. The tendency to hesitate to even set a date for the regular general convention and to unnecessarily prolong the central committee meeting without addressing the demand for a special general convention is in no way a sign of responsible leadership,' the statement issued by the special general convention supporters after the press conference said, 'The demand for a special general convention cannot be inactive under any excuse or unreliable regular schedule. The demand for a special general convention will automatically become inactive only if the regular general convention is concluded without extending the term of the current working committee and a new leadership is elected.'

The four-year term of the central working committee will end from mid-Mansir. If the general convention is not held before then, the term will have to be extended. Although the statute provides for the facility to extend the term by one year, the general secretaries are in favor of holding the general convention in the new situation after the Genji movement.

The issue of a general convention has been raised in the Congress since the Genji movement. However, the dispute formally began at the Central Working Committee meeting on October 28. Amidst pressure from the general secretaries, Deuba gave the responsibility of acting to Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka in the first meeting on October 28. From the same meeting, he also gave a message that he would not return to active politics and directed to hold a general convention within the time limit of the statute. Shortly after that, he went to Singapore for treatment. A heated dispute arose in the Central Working Committee between the General Secretary and the establishment party over the dispute over whether to hold a general convention before the elections.

Congress President Deuba is back in active politics, he will distribute tickets in the upcoming elections

General Secretary Thapa was not allowed to move a unanimous proposal for the general convention. Amidst the dispute, he presented the schedule for December 16-19. With the aim of making it a failure, the establishment party presented the schedule for Baisakh 27-29 through Joint General Secretary Mahendra Yadav. Acting President Khadka's efforts to resolve this dispute did not work .