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Nepali Congress Splits as Dissidents Name Gagan Thapa Party President

Rival factions now seek Election Commission recognition before the March 5 vote.

Overview

  • Dissident leaders Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma broke with Sher Bahadur Deuba after last-minute talks failed, triggering a formal split.
  • A Special General Convention in Kathmandu elected Thapa unopposed as party president and declared Deuba’s central committee dissolved, a move Deuba’s camp disputes.
  • Deuba’s faction announced the expulsion of Thapa, Sharma and joint general secretary Farmullah Mansoor, which the dissidents say the convention nullified.
  • Both camps approached the Election Commission seeking official recognition that will decide who fields candidates under the party banner.
  • The rupture grew from a fight over the convention timetable, with Deuba pushing for May after the election and the dissidents demanding a pre-election reset to answer Gen Z grievances.