Leaders close to Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula have begun publicly aligning themselves in support of holding a special general convention of the party. Among them is senior leader Sudhir Shivakoti from Jhapa, the home district of Sitaula, who has openly expressed his position in favor of the convention.
Leaders advocating for the special general convention say that nearly 70 percent of Nepali Congress representatives from Jhapa have already been confirmed to take part. Shivakoti, who served as party secretary when Sitaula was district president and later completed two terms as Jhapa district president himself, has urged party workers to actively participate in the convention.
Call for Party Reform and Shivakoti’s Political Background
Shivakoti said the Nepali Congress has come under the influence of a limited group of elites and that the time has arrived to reclaim the party in line with the ideals of B.P. Koirala. Writing on social media, he stated that efforts to transform the party must continue, warning that discredited elites could once again take control if party workers do not remain vigilant.
He said the current situation requires making the special general convention a success to strengthen and purify the party. “Those who can should go to Kathmandu, and those who cannot should stay in their districts and provide active support,” he wrote.
Regarded as a close confidant of Sitaula, Shivakoti served two consecutive terms as Jhapa district president between 1999 and 2007. He was elected from Jhapa Constituency No. 2 in the 2013 Constituent Assembly election.
He also played a leading role in Jhapa during both the 1990 People’s Movement and the 2006–07 mass uprising, during which he was held in military custody and subjected to severe torture.
In recent weeks, party leaders had urged him to contest the National Assembly election. Although he was initially assured of a ticket, Sunil Thapa was ultimately nominated instead, prompting Shivakoti to express his dissatisfaction publicly.
