KATHMANDU: Nepal’s largest democratic party, the Nepali Congress, is facing one of the most serious internal crises in its nearly eight-decade history, with widening factional disputes raising concerns over a possible split.
The conflict has intensified following the party’s Special General Convention, whose leadership has been recognised by both the Election Commission and the Supreme Court. However, disagreements over the inclusion of leaders excluded from the new Central Working Committee have deepened divisions between the establishment and dissident factions.
A group of senior leaders, including Shashanka Koirala, Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakash Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Sitaula and Shekhar Koirala, are reportedly exploring alternative political options if reconciliation efforts fail. Dissident leaders have warned they could move toward forming a new party unless 111 excluded leaders are accommodated in the central committee.
The party establishment argues such a move would violate the party statute and could trigger legal complications.
Political observers say the prolonged power struggle, driven more by leadership rivalry than ideological differences, risks weakening the party at a time of growing public frustration with mainstream politics. Senior leaders have urged both sides to compromise, warning that a divided Nepali Congress could undermine not only the party’s future but also Nepal’s broader democratic landscape.
