Jatashankar Sahni, 40, from Bara, was a member of the Congress's Mahasamiti. His name is not currently listed in the Congress's membership update details. He joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on the eve of the 21st Falgun (House of Representatives) elections. "It was difficult to get an opportunity in the Congress. On the other hand, there are many opponents within the party. Even if you get a ticket, there will be disruptions, so I left the Congress," Sahni told Kantipur.

Basant Basnet from Bara is in the race to become the district president of the RSS. He has not renewed his active membership of the party since the 14th general convention and resigned from the post of district vice-president of the Press Union, a well-wisher of the Congress, some time ago. 

Like Sahni and Basnet, the number of those who have not renewed their membership in the Congress is large. Only a small number of members have renewed their membership due to internal disputes, leaving the party and joining other parties, fleeing abroad, and not wanting to show their identity. The former president Sher Bahadur Deuba and leader Shekhar Koirala's faction have not renewed their membership. 

There were 850,000 active members in the 14th general convention. During the campaign that was run until December 10, 450,000 renewed their memberships and 150,000 took new memberships. The Congress had launched a campaign since April 1 to update their details. Its deadline expired on Thursday. “The deadline for updating is until midnight, and it is estimated that 400,000 members will be updated by then,” General Secretary Pradeep Poudel, who is also the coordinator of the active membership update campaign, said on Thursday evening. According to him, 55,000 members updated their memberships in just one day (till 6 pm) on Thursday. 

After Gagan Thapa came to the leadership from the special general convention, there was new energy and enthusiasm within the Congress. The new leadership had announced to ‘rebrand and rebuild’ the Congress. But just as that enthusiasm was not seen in the last House of Representatives elections, the same situation is also found in the active membership update. Jhapa leader Sarita Prasai said that she did not update her membership due to the lack of an atmosphere of unity within the party. He says that he will not update his membership until there is unity with everyone. ‘I have not updated my membership to put pressure on the leadership that seeks to bring in outside parties but does not try to unite leaders within his own party,’ said Prasai, who is close to leader Shekhar Koirala. A large number of those who are against the special general convention held on 27-30 Poush have still not united with the central working committee led by Gagan Thapa.

Tanahun’s Dambar Adhikari says that he has not updated his membership to put pressure on the leadership that is in favor of the special general convention. He said, ‘I insist on including all parties outside the special general convention. That is why I have not updated my membership.’

General Secretary Pradeep Poudel informed that in the 21 Falgun House of Representatives elections, the Congress received fewer votes than its membership in 17 constituencies. ‘There were 7,900 active members in Jhapa-5. Only around 1,800 votes were cast. There were 7,100 members in Saptari-2, but only 2,400 votes were cast, he said. "The membership has been updated to ensure re-commitment because it could not be proven who did not vote or did not cooperate."

Earlier, old memberships were renewed and new ones distributed with the aim of the 15th General Convention. In the campaign that was run until 10 Poush 2082, the number of memberships decreased by 266,000 compared to the 14th General Convention. One of the main reasons for the significant decrease in membership during the renewal is that 24 constituencies in Madhesh did not renew their memberships. 29 constituencies in Madhesh had not even distributed new memberships at that time. The Congress has stated that Madhesh will be given a chance to renew.

General Secretary Poudel says that the details of members who had taken memberships up to five months ago have now been updated to take the details of members to the digital system. ‘I estimate that 50 percent of those who have not been updated are due to internal disputes and 50 percent have problems with digital access,’ he said. ‘It is yet to be decided whether to extend the time for entry again or to leave it as this number will not be entered now.’ 

General Secretary Poudel says that a strict policy will not be taken in membership updates. ‘I am confident that by the time the ward convention is held, the party membership will be at the level of the 14th general convention by resolving all the problems within the party,’ he said. 

The Congress has also opened applications for new active membership from 18 Jestha. Its deadline has not been specified. The ward convention has been taking place since 6 Shrawan. It has been decided that the party’s 15th general convention will be held from 9-14 Asoj. Active members elect regional representatives from the ward and the elected representatives elect the central working committee including the central president. 

Central member Nainsingh Mahar says that the declining public opinion towards the party has also affected the active membership. ‘The Congress did not do well in the elections. Apart from leaders and cadres, no one was attracted to the party. Those looking for jobs and opportunities did not come either,’ he says, ‘The main thing is internal disputes. If this can be resolved, membership will increase.’ 

The highest number of active members has been from Bagmati, Lumbini, Gandaki and Koshi, while the lowest number is in Karnali, Sudurpaschim and Madhesh provinces. At the 14th General Convention, Bagmati had the highest number of 186,000 active members, while Karnali had the lowest number of about 55,000 members. 

Former President Sher Bahadur Deuba, former acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka and leader Shekhar Koirala, along with members of their group and most of the cadres who are not in favor of the special general convention, have been making membership renewal a major political issue. Other party leader Prakasharan Mahat says that the act of renewing memberships that have already been renewed has raised suspicions. 

The other party is demanding that the general convention be held on the basis of the renewal of membership and distribution of new memberships for the 15th general convention by 10 Poush. The establishment party, on the other hand, has been saying that they will not be able to participate in the 15th general convention without updating their memberships. 

The current president Gagan Thapa and vice president Bishwaprakash Sharma led the renewal of membership and distribution of new memberships for the 15th general convention until five months ago. They were the general secretaries at that time. The other party suspects that they are trying to influence the general convention by forcing the renewal of memberships again within a five-month period. On the other hand, they are also adamant that the party will not unite until there is a 'respectable' unity. 

Leader Shekhar Koirala has been saying that the general convention should be held with the members who have already been renewed and distributed. He said that the work of converting the party's details into digital format can be done even after the general convention. 

Another leader of the other party, Mahat, says that the general convention organizing committee should be formed with representation from both sides to ensure the fairness of the general convention. ‘Then, if both sides are properly represented in the election, discipline and active membership investigation committee and the memberships renewed last month are accepted,’ he said. 

General Secretary Poudel has a different argument on the issue of having to update the memberships that were renewed five months ago. ‘Not even one hundred thousand members had telephone numbers, those who had them were duplicated, some did not even have the full digits of their mobile numbers. In some constituencies, not even the number of active members voted,’ he said. ‘If they can be connected to the digital system with complete details, it can have a lot of influence in the upcoming local and provincial elections.’

The establishment side is under pressure after the other party did not update its membership. In the meantime, President Thapa had tried to unite by proposing Khadka and Koirala as senior leaders. But both had set the condition that they should not remain as senior leaders but that there should be a ‘respectful’ unity. Khadka and Koirala had publicly expressed their dissatisfaction, saying that they were not consulted when Thapa nominated 19 people from other parties to the central committee on 28 Baisakh.