The conflict between the establishment party and the general secretaries has reached its peak over the demand to convene a special general convention within the Congress.

While informal efforts are being made to find a middle ground for consensus, the establishment party has increased pressure on the delegates to withdraw their signatures by making a decision. Meanwhile, the leaders supporting the General Secretary have launched a special campaign to maintain the 54 percent number.

As the elections are approaching, let’s transform the special general convention into a declaration meeting, resolution or policy convention, let’s unite the party and go - Dila Sangraula, Congress leader The establishment party is trying to stop the delegates, arguing that the special general convention called by the General Secretary will be illegal and will divide the party. The leaders supporting the General Secretary have launched a campaign on social media with the slogan ‘not to break, but to break the pride and arrogance of the majority, to unite the Congress so that it can contest the elections alone’. The propaganda material ‘Let’s make the second special general convention to be held on 27-28 Poush a grand success, let’s go to Kathmandu’ has also been widely circulated on social media.

The establishment-side leaders fear that the leadership may change if the majority of delegates attend the special general convention called by the general secretaries. That is why the establishment has decided to have less than 40 percent delegates in the special general convention. The main basis for this is the decision of the Central Working Committee on Friday. That meeting had made the institutional decision that the rationale for the special general convention had ended when the regular general convention schedule had already been moved forward.

The meeting has passed the schedule for the 15th general convention from 28-31 Baisakh after the 21 Falgun election. The next day, after ‘quoting’ the decision of the Central Working Committee, the Chief Secretary of the Central Office, Krishna Poudel, had issued a circular to the subordinate committees, telling them to join the election as the rationale for the special general convention had ended.

On Sunday itself, the five presidents of the provincial working committees issued a joint statement urging leaders and cadres to participate in the election. The presidents who issued the statement are Uddhav Thapa of Koshi, Krishna Prasad Yadav of Madhesh, Indra Bahadur Baniya of Bagmati, Lalit Jung Shahi of Karnali and Bir Bahadur Balayar of Sudurpaschim. Former office bearers of the establishment party and other leaders are also sending messages to the representatives not to come to Kathmandu through video messages and telephone calls. Former office bearer Krishna Prasad Sitaula had held a press conference on Sunday and urged them to stay in their districts and villages and participate in the elections. He claimed that there would be no special general convention and the party would not split.

Leaders supporting the general secretary say that an attempt was made to stop the representatives by promoting a party split. General secretary Bishwaprakash Sharma questioned why such a provision was made in the statute if the special general convention would lead to the party division and said, "Where will our society go if the country does not run according to the constitution and the oldest and most responsible party does not run according to the statute?" He said that the special general convention would make the party stronger and more united.

An attempt has been made to stop the delegates by promoting a party split. If a special general convention would lead to a party split, why would such a provision be made in the statute? - Bishwaprakash Sharma, Congress General Secretary A petition demanding a special general convention signed by 54 percent of the delegates on 29 Asoj has been registered at the central office. According to the provision of the statute to call a special general convention within 3 months of registering the petition, the deadline is 28 Pus. After it was determined that there would be no regular general convention during that period, General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Sharma have decided to call a special general convention in Kathmandu on 27-28 Pus.

They have not made a formal call, saying that the central working committee should call it as the statute has made it mandatory. However, if the president and acting president are not ready by Wednesday, the coordinator of the special general convention publicity committee, Subash Pokharel, said that homework is being done to formally call the general secretaries through a press conference. 18 sub-committees have also been formed to manage preparations for the special general convention, from booking a hall at Bhrikutimandap.

Informal discussions are also ongoing at various levels among second-tier leaders on calling a special general convention by consensus. However, a leader close to him said that President Sher Bahadur Deuba is not in favor of a special general convention. ‘He believes that a special general convention will split the party, so he is of the opinion that a special general convention should not be held under any circumstances,’ the leader said.

General Secretary Sharma is also coordinating through Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka and central member Ramesh Lekhak so that the special general convention can be carried forward with a policy focus to prevent the party from being divided in the run-up to the elections. 30 central members of the establishment party have also joined in this. However, President Deuba and most of the leaders of the establishment party are not ready to focus on the policy convention.

A close member of General Secretary Thapa says that many issues will be determined by whether a majority of delegates will be reached at the special general convention. 'If a majority is reached, both policy and leadership can be changed and we can move forward.' Which is also legally valid,' he said, 'But if a majority is not reached, changing the leadership does not seem appropriate. Informal discussions are being held to focus on policy and agenda.'

According to Pokharel, a leader in favor of the general convention, 48 more have been added as of Wednesday, although 19 delegates have withdrawn their signatures. 'There is no agreement on making the special general convention policy-focused without consulting us. This is a matter of the delegates' jurisdiction. The opinion of the Central Working Committee should come first.' The general secretaries have already come to the conclusion that the policy and leadership should be changed,' he said, 'The establishment party cannot do this without communicating with us.'

30 central members of the establishment party met leader Shekhar Koirala on Tuesday and urged him to reach an agreement to focus on the policy of the special general convention. They had said that the decision of the central working committee, calling the mandatory provision made by the statute unreasonable, had caused more problems. Leader Dila Sangraula said that there was a mandatory situation to call the special general convention as per the statute.

'Since the elections are approaching, let's transform it into a declaration meeting, resolution or policy convention. Let's go united and united. Alternative forces have entered the fray. It is not good for the Congress to go to the election in the midst of such a rift, so we have gone to Shekhar Koirala to tell him to take the initiative,' Sangraula said, 'but he said we should do this after 6th Magh.' She said that she was of the opinion that it should not be taken until that time.

Earlier, Koirala had been taking the stand of holding a regular general convention saying that the party's policy and leadership should be changed before the election. However, recently, he has been standing in favor of holding a general convention after the election. Central member Sangraula said that she met with President Deuba and two general secretaries to reach an agreement to call a special general convention and focus on the policy and agenda. She said that she plans to meet with Acting President Khadka on Wednesday and put forward the same agenda.