Senior Nepali Congress leader Gururaj Ghimire, who supports holding a special general convention of the party, has accused the leadership of practicing authoritarianism and undermining internal democratic norms.
On Friday, a meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee concluded that the demand for a special general convention was no longer justified and approved plans to hold the regular general convention from April 10 to April 13.
However, General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma, along with three other members of the committee, registered a formal note of dissent against the decision.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Thapa said a special general convention could still take place by mid-January, highlighting continued disagreement within the party’s leadership.
Reiterating his support for a special convention, Ghimire shared his views in a Facebook post on Saturday, stating that disorder, procedural violations, and arbitrary decision-making have intensified within the party.
He said the party statute allows a special general convention to be convened if 40 percent of general convention representatives demand it. According to Ghimire, following the so-called Gen-Z movement, 54 percent of representatives from the 14th General Convention had signed in favor of holding a special convention.
Ignoring that demand, he said, amounted to severe mistreatment of party members seeking the convention and constituted an open mockery and violation of the party statute.
Ghimire further criticized the leadership for failing to implement even officially approved schedules and for changing or postponing programs arbitrarily without providing prior notice to party members. He described the practice as deeply undemocratic and authoritarian.
“Nepali Congress ended autocratic rule 75 years ago,” Ghimire wrote. “Today, practices reflecting command-style rule are being seen within the party itself. Treating party members who have contributed equally or more than leaders as subjects, and viewing the party as private property or a domestic matter, is entirely unacceptable.”
He warned that the leadership cannot move forward without addressing the demand for a special general convention and said that if decisions are imposed forcefully, the leadership would bear responsibility for any future political consequences.
Ghimire also urged the leadership to respond positively to the demand for a special convention to unify the party amid the current challenging political situation.
Emphasizing the party’s legacy, he said the Nepali Congress is a historic democratic force that has fought for the rule of law for nearly eight decades and therefore enjoys greater political credibility, public trust, and a broader support base than other parties.
“The leadership must recognize that the Nepali Congress is not an average political party like others,” he said.
