Congress to Remain Unified, Regular General Convention should be held within Poush : Lekhak

Kathmandu — Nepali Congress Central Committee member and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who had served during the time of the Gen Z movement expressed his view at Wednesday’s Central Committee meeting that the party should remain united through a regular general convention.

Lekhak argued that instead of reinstating the House of Representatives, the Congress should move forward toward fresh elections. He stated that if the issue of active membership can be finalized soon, a regular general convention could be held within the month of Poush (mid-December to mid-January). However, he also warned that if a special general convention were to be held, it could lead to party division.

“There is already a situation where some members have signed and registered the proposal for a special convention as per the party statute,” Lekhak said. “We have already discussed for about a month whether to hold a regular or a special convention, and whether it should be before or after the election. But we must not go for a special convention. Instead, the concerns of those demanding it should be addressed, and the proposal withdrawn. If active membership renewal and distribution are completed, we can hold the regular convention within Poush.”

Calling a special convention a “mismatched convention,” the former home minister warned that it would create confusion and disagreement within the party. “Holding a special convention,” he said, “would be like leading the Congress into a jungle with no single path out—there would be many different paths, and when emerging from those, the Congress would no longer remain whole. Therefore, we must stop the idea of a special convention.”

Lekhak further noted that if the active membership verification committee and the statute drafting committee are formed with consensus and start working immediately, the general convention can still be held within Poush. However, citing past experiences, he cautioned that after renewal and new membership distribution, around 20,000 complaints could arise, which would take six to eight months to investigate, making it difficult to hold the convention before the elections.