KATHMANDU: Following the Gen Z revolt, the demand for leadership change has intensified within the oldest democratic party, Nepali Congress. The debate in the Nepali Congress is that the current entire working committee, including President Sher Bahadur Deuba, should be bid farewell by holding a regular general convention within two months, or a special general convention otherwise. For this, when a signature campaign was conducted calling for a special general convention, more than 50 percent of the general convention representatives signed. On the other hand, a discussion is also taking place in the ongoing central working committee meeting, demanding that a regular general convention should be held.

Meanwhile, the central working committee meeting of the Nepali Congress is scheduled to be held from October 14. The Nepali Congress leadership has reached a decision to submit the signature campaign demanding a special general convention before the meeting. The edited excerpt of a conversation held by Roman Acharya of Nepal News with Guru Ghimire, one of the leaders of the signature campaign, revolves around this very subject:

Where has the signature campaign you ran for leadership change reached?

Participants from not only different districts but also from abroad have participated in the signature campaign. The percentage of participants is a little higher somewhere and lower somewhere else. Overall, we will reach the signature of approximately 51 percent by tomorrow.

When will you submit the collected signatures?

We will submit the collected signatures before the central committee meeting takes place. We will take the time tomorrow itself and register it at the central office. We will not wait for what decision the central committee makes, whether it is a regular general convention or something else. Because, looking at the condition of the current central committee and the work style of the past four years, we have no trust.

Not only the general secretaries in the working execution committee, but also leaders of the establishment faction are saying that we should go to a regular general convention. Why are you demanding a special general convention?

The assurance of a regular general convention is not visible. Evasion is still happening now. Why have such a large number of party members started this campaign? They did not even show the willingness to discuss what the objective is. When this kind of adverse political situation arises in the country, the procedure we must follow is a special general convention. This provision has been made for that very reason.

Nepali Congress leader Guru Ghimire in front of a portrait of the first elected Prime Minister BP Koirala. Photo: Bikram Rai/Nepal News

You are also being accused of trying to split the party by saying ‘special general convention,’ aren’t you?

Those who are running the signature campaign now demanding a special general convention are being accused of setting fire to the party and splitting it. BP Koirala, after returning from treatment in America in 1976, called a special session in Patna and made Krishna Prasad Bhattarai the Acting President. This practice has already been done in history. A special general convention is a measure, an alternative, to save the party from crisis and move forward.

Why are you skeptical about the regular general convention taking place?

We were continuously saying that the regular general convention should be held on time. The party was in government. Some of our friends were in the government. There was no reason to stop the internal work of the party. Peace, stable order, and the country’s daily life were in a normal state. We could easily do the party’s work. But the works of active membership distribution and re-renewal could not move forward for months. We issued a circular, but even that could not bring a result. Therefore, there was no sign of the party’s regular session taking place within the timeframe. An attempt was made to postpone and push back the session for up to five and a half years by using the special provision in the statute and the constitutional period.

Now, a critical situation has arisen in the country. The government has already changed due to the Gen Z movement.

The central committee meeting has still not been held until now. The meeting that was supposed to happen on October 12 has been postponed to October 14, and discussions of it being postponed again have also started to be heard. Therefore, we ran this signature campaign saying that in such a situation, a meeting should be held on time to understand the seriousness of the country’s political situation, discuss it, and ensure the general convention.

Nepali Congress leader Guru Ghimire. Photo: Bikram Rai/Nepal News

Is your intention that a regular general convention is not possible under any circumstances?

If there is firm willpower, we can do it. The old format of the active membership is kept as a record in the districts, isn’t it? By calling for that, those who want to renew can be made to renew within one week. After that, it is enough if we hold only three levels of sessions. First, the ward-level session, which selects the regional local representatives. Then, holding the federal-level session. The federal-level session takes place in districts with many House of Representatives election constituencies, and in the hilly districts with only one election constituency, the district session itself takes place, which selects the representatives for the central general convention. In districts with many election constituencies, the general convention representatives are selected from the House of Representatives regional session, after which the central general convention is held.

For this, there is sufficient time until mid-December. The central general convention can be completed by this time. After that, a new leadership comes, which can prepare for the election if there is an election or for a movement if a movement is necessary. After that, we can easily complete the local-level session, the provincial assembly session, and the sessions in places where the district session is still remaining. The provincial session can also be held. Other representative sessions can be held later too.

There is a measure. What stopped you from holding the general convention according to this measure and putting pressure for it?

Looking at the current work style and the activities of the central committee, responsibility and firmness are not visible in it. The responsibility for holding the general convention belongs to the central committee, and the entire working committee is responsible for it. But, in this situation, it is clear that the working committee failed by not being able to hold the general convention on time. The sign of what came next should have been understood even before September 7. An attempt should have been made to stop it by recognizing its footsteps and public sentiment. Unfortunately, the party could not move forward in that direction.

What if there is no guarantee that the general convention will be held even after you submit the signatures?

Attempts are being made to suppress us. However, we have not immediately made a plan for what to do if the demand is not met. We have always taken the processes within the party as a practice according to due process. Based on that, we will call for it according to due process and request it. If a request made according to due process is ignored, or if an attempt is made to crush or suppress it, then naturally there will be a discussion with our friends.

Nepali Congress leader Guru Ghimire and others. Photo: Bikram Rai/Nepal News

Will the Nepali Congress be right just by changing the leadership? There is no debate on policy, is there?

The Nepali Congress will not be right just by changing the leadership. A clear action plan is necessary for that. There is a need to make widespread reforms in the party. The active membership distribution, the structure of organization building, and the election system from the initial level to the center must be regulated. The matter of changing the internal managerial structure of the party has also been raised. How many structures to keep, and how many to reduce? How active are the sister organizations and well-wishing organizations? How large should the size of the central committee be?

The active membership increased, but the result in the election decreased. Despite having many sister organizations and well-wishing organizations, the result was negative. The reason for this is our way of working, the way of running the government, and the inability to understand the public sentiment. The party could not go near the people. Therefore, all problems are not solved merely by changing the person. Leadership change is only the starting point.

The voice that President Deuba should be given an opportunity for an honorable exit is also being raised. Is this wrong?

We have heard that the president wants to leave the post. It is difficult for him to complete the term, even due to health reasons. The statute has stopped re-candidacy. It is also impossible to work by extending the deadline. But the leaders around him do not seem responsible. They are the obstacles. Therefore, it’s not enough just to say “honorable exit of the President.” Looking at so much failure, the party’s weak situation, and the ruined state of the organization, widespread reform is indispensable.

So, who will lead the Nepali Congress now?

There has not been a conversation about who the next leader will be until now. When we enter the process, we will consult on the issue of leadership. There is no particular dispute among us regarding leadership. If there are potential leaders, we will adjust immediately accordingly. Now is not the correct time to take names.