NC press conference postponed amid internal turmoil
Acting party chair Purna Bahadur Khadka had planned to address the media at 1:00 PM at the party’s central office in Sanepa.
KATHMANDU: Amid rising internal divisions within the Nepali Congress, a special press conference scheduled for today (Friday) was postponed at the last minute.
Acting party chair Purna Bahadur Khadka had planned to address the media at 1:00 PM at the party’s central office in Sanepa.
However, just before the scheduled time, General Secretary Krishna Prasad Paudel issued a statement announcing the postponement due to unspecified reasons.
The postponement comes after the party’s joint general secretaries, Gagan Thapa and Bishwprakash Sharma, called for a ‘special general convention’ in Bhaktapur’s Bhrikutimandap over two days starting Sunday.
This move has sparked fresh tensions within the party, with the establishment faction declaring the call contrary to party bylaws.
The Executive Committee had already directed delegates not to attend any meetings called by the two general secretaries, setting the stage for a standoff between the ‘rebellious’ faction and the party’s mainstream leadership.
The press conference was originally intended to convey the leadership’s unified stance and emphasize that party reforms should proceed through the regular convention rather than a special one.
Senior leaders, including Dr. Shekhar Koirala, were expected to attend to demonstrate unity.
Only yesterday, Dr. Koirala reportedly met with party chair Sher Bahadur Deuba, urging that rushing into a special convention could harm party unity and calling for dialogue to resolve the dispute.
The last-minute postponement of the press conference suggests a possible shift in the party’s strategy or ongoing efforts to seek consensus.
