The majority of delegates who elected Sher Bahadur Deuba as the president at the 14th general convention of the Nepali Congress are standing against him. Even Shekhar Koirala, who competed with Deuba for the presidency at the general convention four years ago, is now on the establishment side, but 56.12 percent of the delegates have participated in the special general convention with the issue of policy and leadership change.

Deuba was elected president with 60 percent of the votes in the 14th general convention held in Mangsir 2078, while his rival Koirala received 40 percent of the votes. According to the details registered as of 9 pm on Sunday, 2,662 delegates are participating in the special general convention. The total number of delegates is 4,743. The organizers claim that more than 60 percent will participate, including those who are in contact and those who are coming. 

According to Subash Pokharel, coordinator of the special general convention publicity committee, the registration will open again from 8 am on Monday. With the delegate who elected him as president standing in the opposition, political and moral pressure has increased on President Deuba to remain in the leadership. 

Party spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat, however, claims that the majority of delegates did not attend the special general convention. ‘Since the majority is not reached, even delegates who are staying at home have started being called,’ he says. 

When asked about whether President Deuba or Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka would be present before the closed session began on Monday and take ownership, Mahat said that it was not possible for the President or Acting President to go to the special general convention to find a solution because the Working Committee had decided twice that it was illegal.

‘When the regular general convention schedule has been set, there is no point in holding a special general convention, the Working Committee has already decided that it is illegal. In such a situation, I do not think there will be any discussion there to seek a consensus,’ he said, ‘I am not aware of any discussions in that direction. It is not possible to make the majority of representatives stay at home and have the President or Acting President go.’ 

Spokesperson Mahat says that there is a possibility of consensus if the special general convention is turned into a gathering without calling it a special general convention. He says that the leaders who call the special general convention should manage it themselves, regardless of what they say in terms of policies, resolutions or election agendas.

If Deuba does not provide an immediate solution, the delegates participating in the special general convention are in the mood to elect a new leadership from the hall. General Secretary Thapa has long been adamant that he will not contest the elections without a change in party leadership. Some time ago, he had publicly announced that he would not accept a ticket for the House of Representatives election with Deuba's signature. Another General Secretary Sharma is taking the initiative through Acting President Khadka to find a consensus. 

Deuba is consulting with close leaders about the possible outcome of the special general convention, but leaders from his own group are pressuring him not to step down. While the special general convention was being inaugurated at Bhrikutimandap on Sunday, Deuba had discussions with Acting President Khadka and central member Ramesh Lekhak. He is also in constant dialogue with leader Shekhar Koirala. 'There is a dispute over the president, but he has not said how to resolve it,' said a central member close to Deuba. 

A faction of the establishment party is suggesting Deuba to find a solution, saying that entering the party leadership selection process on the eve of the upcoming House of Representatives elections will prolong the dispute and that even the exit will not be pleasant. Another faction of leaders, however, is pressuring Deuba not to step down and not to go to the special general convention hall, saying that the majority was forcibly achieved by distributing bags to even active members. 

Leaders in favor of the special general convention have urged the president and acting president to participate in the closed session from the inauguration venue. They say that if they do not come, a new central working committee may be elected from the hall. 

General Secretary Thapa urged President Deuba to think carefully and take a decision before the closed session begins. ‘It is expected that they will come to the closed session tomorrow (Monday). It is their choice whether to come or not, the decision is up to you representatives. Whatever decision is made from the hall now, that will be my decision,' Thapa said in the inaugural session, 'We have to lose the battle to win the war. Sometimes we are ready to burn to keep the flame alive. But we will leave the Congress standing in the right place.' 

Thapa mentioned that they have moved forward with the ideas of BP Koirala and the courage of Ganeshman Singh. 'There is nothing greater than the general convention, if you want, you can change the leader, choose the leader, choose the policy, and change the statute. The delegates have come to the special general convention to maintain that right.' 

Thapa urged Deuba to remember the moment when Suvarna Shumsher called the special general convention in 2014 and handed over the presidency to BP. 'We wanted to see the party president inaugurating it and the acting president present,' he said, 'What is going on within the party now is not a struggle for power and authority. It is a struggle for ideas and values. It is a struggle between how to understand or not understand the country, citizens and public sentiment.' 

Thapa said that he will accept the decisions of the representatives on policy and leadership changes. 'The special general convention was called by you representatives. I have come to be a guest. I have no objection to whatever the closed session decides tomorrow. But the Congress is not a party of slaves and corpses, but a party of living people,' he said, 'The question is not dead here. No one will not speak while saying no. This is not a party of 'Ba' either. A party in which questions die cannot ask questions in society. One who cannot ask questions cannot provide solutions. That is why we are engaged in the campaign to make a living Congress.' 

General Secretary Thapa also mentioned that the long-standing method of running the party has now collapsed. 'No matter who comes tomorrow, no one can look down on a party member now. "Those who sit above should bow down and salute the members sitting below," he said, "We want to give the country confidence once and for all."

Another General Secretary Sharma declared that the Congress would be made like iron and not torn apart. "This is not a crowd that has participated in the special general convention, it is a group that has come to change the Congress. Whatever decision the closed session takes, it will be in the interest of the country and the party. Whatever decision the closed session takes will be the future path of the Congress," he said. 

General Secretary Sharma said that the party will move forward from the special general convention with a resolution of good governance and a concrete action plan from Singha Durbar to the ward level of the municipality, as shown by the political developments after the last 23 and 24 Bhadra. "We will take the country, which is struggling with dissatisfaction and disappointment, to new hope, we want to take it out of the tunnel of psychological conflict. We can provide good governance," he said, "Where we made mistakes before, we will correct ourselves from there. We will self-criticize." We resolve to address the spirit of the Gen-G movement.' General Secretary Sharma said that the special general convention will change the Congress and the country. 

Old leaders of the Congress have also participated in the special general convention. Former Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, former Vice President Gopalman Shrestha, who was close to Deuba until a few days ago, and Basanta Bhattarai, the main person who hijacked the plane as per BP's plan during the armed revolution launched by the Congress against the Panchayat, were also present at the Bhrikutimandap. Pushpa Bhusal, Rajendra KC, Udaya Shamsher Rana, Dila Sangraula, Bharat Shah and about 30 central members of the establishment faction were also present. 

Former Vice President Shrestha, who is undergoing health treatment, urged Deuba to understand the situation of the country above the party and step down from the leadership. 'Now the future of this party will not be determined by taking advantage of history. "We must be able to address the expectations of citizens and the issue of generational transfer according to the changing times," he said. "No one should be stubborn in this historic special convention after 70 years. The president should act according to the rules and regulations. Otherwise, be ready to implement the decisions made by the special convention." 

No procedure has been formed on whether to go through the special convention leadership selection process or not. An election committee has not even been formed to select the leadership. Leader Gururaj Ghimire, who is in favor of the special convention, says that leadership selection is the main issue of the special convention. "The special convention has been called because the main task is to select the leadership," he said. "They ignored our request to hold a 100 percent special convention with the president and acting president. They have thrown stones at us. We want to build a Congress house by throwing flower stalks and collecting stones." 

Ghimire also said that the special convention is not against any particular leader. "The special general convention is for protecting the constitution and ethics, moving the party forward with new thinking and enthusiasm, and setting future guidelines, not for power," he added. 

How does the closed session begin? 

The closed session of the special general convention is scheduled to begin at 8 am on Monday. Preparations are underway to formulate a procedure for what to do and what not to do once the closed session begins. 

According to special general convention leader Gururaj Ghimire, a group led by party election committee member Raju Kattel has been given the task of drafting the procedure for the closed session. Leader Narayan Bhattarai will read out the draft procedure in the closed session. The closed session will proceed after passing it. 

The closed session will be chaired by the senior member. General Secretaries Thapa and Sharma will present organizational and political reports. After that, there will be a 'break' for lunch. After the meal, there will be group discussions on the party's policy and structural reform issues. There will be discussions in seven provincial-level groups and 8 groups including the public relations committee and fraternal organizations abroad. The discussion is planned to be concluded by Monday evening with conclusions. 

According to Ghimire, there is a plan to move forward as per the hall's suggestion on the issue of leadership selection. The hall has been 'booked' until Tuesday. 'We will reach a decision on the issue of leadership by Monday evening. The leadership selection will proceed based on the attitude of the establishment party,' Ghimire said. 'If the central working committee takes ownership, a situation may arise, otherwise the representatives are not in the mood to return home without choosing a new leadership.' 

There are also preparations to form a committee to amend the statute during the closed session. However, discussions are ongoing on whether to amend the statute itself or pass a resolution proposal later, said Subash Pokharel, coordinator of the publicity committee. 

What was seen at the special general convention

The special general convention was more organized than the previous programs of the Congress. There was no hierarchy on the stage, everyone was sitting in the same row. 28 of the 30 central members of the establishment party, who were in favor of holding the general convention, were present at the inauguration program, especially before the House of Representatives elections. Former Deputy President Gopalman Shrestha, who has been supporting Deuba in any difficulties, received applause at the inauguration. Former Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, who has retired from politics, and 88-year-old Omkar Prasad Shrestha, a representative of the 2014 special general convention, were also present. 

  Former MPs Rajendra Bajgain and Sunil Sharma, who were close to leader Shekhar Koirala, also came out in favor of the special general convention. Chandra Bhandari, who was not in favor of the special general convention at first, also came out in favor of the special general convention. Bhandari, speaking at the inauguration, urged President Deuba to drop his stubbornness and attend the closed session. 

Former MP Dhruv Wagle, who has been close to Deuba since student politics, and Sudhir Shiwakoti, who is close to former General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula, also spoke out in favor of a special general convention. Shiwakoti said that he left Sitaula after the Gen-G movement. "We have been friends for 52 years. I was with Sitaulaji until before the Gen-G uprising. After that, he did not understand, did not assimilate the change, and then I left," Shiwakoti said while speaking at the inauguration ceremony.