While there are working committee officials who are in favor of not resigning, Deuba-affiliated leaders are demanding that he resign, taking moral responsibility.
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A controversy has erupted in the Congress over the resignation of President Gagan Thapa after the party's defeat in the election. President Thapa is trying to resign, taking moral responsibility for the party's defeat, but Vice President Bishwaprakash Sharma is stopping him. On the other hand, some leaders of former President Sher Bahadur Deuba's faction have been raising the issue of resignation on social media, raising the question of moral responsibility.
There is a legal provision that when a Congress President resigns, he must submit it to the Vice President. However, Vice President Sharma's first priority is to prevent the resignation, and if not, get it rejected by the Central Working Committee. 'Since this is not resolved, there has been some delay in calling a meeting of the Central Working Committee immediately and reviewing the election,' said an official.
General Secretary Gururaj Ghimire said that a meeting of the Central Working Committee will be called within the first week of Chaitra to discuss the election review and preparations for the party's upcoming 15th general convention. Ghimire informed that they believe that it is more appropriate for the president to move forward in fulfilling the responsibilities of the general convention rather than resigning.
‘The president has publicly said that he will resign,’ Ghimire said, ‘but the president has taken the lead in special circumstances. The election is also a product of special circumstances. How much moral responsibility is it? Should he resign or not? The central working committee will discuss it.’ He challenged those who raised questions about the leadership to compete for the leadership in the general convention.
Min Bishwakarma, a leader close to former president Deuba, says that the defeat in the election is the result of insulting the ‘army chief’ and going to ‘war’. ‘With less than a month left after the election date is announced, there should be a rebellion within the party and the power that comes from this rebellion is the most popular,’ he said.
A special general convention held at Bhrikutimandap on 27-30 Poush dissolved the then Deuba-led central working committee and elected a new central working committee under Thapa. The central working committee announced on 1 Magh was recognized by the Election Commission on 4 Magh. After the Election Commission's recognition, the Thapa-led central working committee fielded candidates in 165 constituencies within a day and entered the elections. However, the Congress managed to win only 38 seats, 18 through direct elections and 20 through proportional elections. President Thapa himself was defeated in the elections.
However, there is no consensus within the Deuba faction on whether to demand President Thapa's resignation or to immediately organize a general convention. Especially since it has not been decided whether Deuba will return to Nepal, there is a problem with who will lead the then establishment. Former President Deuba had gone to Singapore on 13 Falgun with his chief personal secretary Bhanu Deuba. Deuba's wife Arju Rana Deuba, who is also a former foreign minister, has also not returned since she went to India on February 10.
'He (Deuba) is in regular contact with some leaders close to him from Singapore. He is awaiting the court's verdict on the party dispute,' said a leader close to Deuba. The writ filed by Deuba and former acting president Purna Bahadur
Khadka against the Election Commission's decision to recognize the Thapa-led Central Working Committee is pending in the Supreme Court. The hearing scheduled for Sunday has been postponed to next month.
Most leaders from Deuba's side are of the opinion that preparations for the general convention should be started rather than waiting for the court's verdict. No one from Deuba's side is represented in the current Central Working Committee. Shyam Ghimire, a leader close to Deuba, says that the then and current Central Working Committees should be 'merged' to include both parties and go to the general convention. ‘Until the court makes another decision, Gagan Thapa is the President of the Nepali Congress. Rather than resigning, the then Central Working Committee and the Thapa-led Working Committee should merge and hold a general convention by next Mangsir at the latest,’ said Ghimire.
Even before the special general convention, the then Central Working Committee had passed a schedule to hold the general convention from next Baisakh 28-31. General Secretary Ghimire said that if the general convention could not be held on the predetermined date due to time pressure, preparations for the general convention would begin soon. Leader Nainsingh Mahar says that there is no alternative but to maintain broad unity within the party. ‘The tsunami has overwhelmed everyone at this time,’ said Mahar, ‘now we must maintain broad unity and move forward.’
