The Nepali Congress has started preparations to take disciplinary action against leaders of the Deuba faction who have started parallel activities. The office bearers' meeting held by President Gagan Thapa on Monday concluded that the process of taking action against leaders who have taken the lead in parallel activities should be taken forward.

The establishment party alleges that former President Sher Bahadur Deuba, who went to Singapore on 13 Falgun without even voting in the election, started running a faction from there. Former acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka has called Deuba-pro-leaders for Tuesday and Wednesday, calling it a meeting of the 'Central Working Committee'. The leaders who are in the Deuba-led working committee elected from the 14th general convention have been called to the meeting. Khadka is preparing to call a meeting of district presidents after that. According to a leader, there is a possibility of a meeting of district presidents on 19 Chaitra.

The internal dispute came to the surface after Khadka, as acting president, issued a statement using the party's 'letterhead' after the arrest of UML Chairman and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak.

Khadka had organized a meeting program with newly elected members of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly at Hotel Smart in Dhumbarahi on Monday. Leader Shekhar Koirala and leaders from his party were also present at the program. The Congress establishment had organized a one-day 'Parliamentary Awareness' program at the central office in Sanepa on Saturday.

There are 38 members of the Congress in the House of Representatives, 18 from the direct route and 20 from the proportional route. There are 9 members of the Congress who were elected to the National Assembly on 11 Magh. Although Khadka invited all the newly elected members in Dhumbarahi, only 15 members of the House of Representatives, including 11 members of the House of Representatives who are in favor of Deuba and Koirala and 4 members of the National Assembly, were present.

Members of the House of Representatives Rukmani Koirala, Gangalakshmi Awal, Sita Thapaliya, Bishnu Khadka, Rina Upreti KC, Ninu Karna, Harinadevi Kami, Geeta Sendang, Tek Bahadur Gurung, Sushila Dhakal and others were present at the program. Members of the National Assembly Jagat Timilsena, Khamma Bahadur Khati, Ranjit Karna and Chandra KC were present.

Both sides should be ready for party unity by stopping all parallel programs, such disputes should not be escalated when the party is weakened after losing the election: Ranjit Karna, Koirala supporter National Assembly MP Jagat Timilsena argued that the number of MPs present was low because Prime Minister Balendra Shah had held separate meetings with MPs from Koshi and Karnali provinces on Monday itself. National Assembly MP Ranjit Karna, close to Koirala, said that the meeting called by Khadka was limited to informality. ‘Only vaccination, garlanding and best wishes were done, nothing was discussed about the internal affairs of the party,’ he said.

Sher Bahadur Deuba, who went to Singapore while a parallel power struggle is going on in the party, has not yet decided whether to return.’ According to his chief personal secretary Bhanu Deuba, the Deuba couple are currently in Hong Kong.

‘The date of return will be decided after Thursday’s health check-up,’ said Bhanu, who returned from Singapore a few days ago. ‘Sister-in-law (Arju Rana) will have to undergo surgery on both knees.’ The date has not been decided.’

Arju Rana Deuba, who is also a former foreign minister, has reached Singapore via India. However, according to leaders close to Deuba, the Deuba couple may stay in Singapore for a few more days due to the latest political developments in Nepal. ‘However, there is continuous dialogue from there regarding the internal politics of the party,’ said a leader from Deuba’s side.

It is unfortunate that leaders who fought for the rule of law are trying to go against the decisions of constitutional bodies and laws related to political parties: Pradeep Poudel, General Secretary General Secretary Pradeep Poudel said that it is unfortunate that leaders who fought for the rule of law are trying to go against the decisions of constitutional bodies and laws related to political parties. According to the law, a constitutional body, the Election Commission, should be respected even if one does not like it. ‘A party is stuck to a law.’ Political parties should respect the law related to state parties and the decisions of the state structure. Our leaders have fought for the rule of law and democracy for a long time,’ he said. ‘We should also respect the law to confirm the significance of fighting for democracy.’ General Secretary Poudel said that the response to the Deuba faction’s meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday will decide how to move forward.

The Congress has called a meeting of the Central Disciplinary Committee led by Taraman Gurung for Wednesday. According to a party official, the decision to ask for an explanation from the leader who is running parallel activities may be made in the meeting. ‘There is a certain opinion that we should take action immediately by asking for an explanation, but there is also a view that we should not take that path right now as it will block the path of dialogue,’ the official said.

The Deuba group and the establishment have different understandings in the approach to the arrest of Oli and the writer. The Deuba side has termed the arrest of Oli and the writer as political revenge. This is stated in the statement issued by Khadka, who will defend it legally and politically.

In the statement issued by Congress spokesperson Devraj Chalise, there is a lack of tolerance towards the arrest of Oli and the writer. The party has not opposed the action taken by the government as recommended by the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led inquiry commission. The Central Working Committee demands that action be taken in accordance with the procedure, not only in the incident of 23 Bhadra but also in the fire and demolition of 24 Bhadra.

Karna, a leader close to Koirala, said that both sides should be ready for party unity by stopping all parallel programs, otherwise the Congress will become even weaker. He said that Gagan Thapa should be considered the legitimate president of the party and joined the unity. 'Gagan Thapa has become the party president from the special general convention.' The Election Commission has recognized that. The senior leaders of the party contested the election with Thapa's signature. That is why Thapa is the legitimate president,' Karna said, 'Such a dispute should not be dragged out when the party has been weakened by losing the election. Even if the establishment party takes two steps back, the party should move towards unity in a way that addresses the senior leaders who are not in favor of the special general convention.' We should reach the regular general convention with unity.'

It does not mean that the decision of the commission should be accepted after filing a case, there will be parallel activities until the court decides, we are ready to face action if action is taken: Jitjung Basnet, Deuba supporter The Deuba side has been rejecting the central working committee that came from the special general convention. But 32 leaders of the Deuba-Koirala group, including leader Shekhar Koirala, former office bearers Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakash Sharan Mahat, Mahendra Yadav, Mahalaxmi Upadhyay 'Dina', Kishore Singh Rathore, NP Saud, and others, contested the election on the ticket signed by the same working committee chairman Thapa. Even the leaders who contested the election at that time are now participating in the gathering called by Khadka.