KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress has moved decisively toward an internal election after overnight talks failed to break a deadlock over leadership, party officials said to Nepal News.

Supporters of a special general convention said the process would now proceed through a vote to change the party’s policy direction and leadership, after party president Sher Bahadur Deuba declined to step aside despite multiple rounds of negotiations. While the establishment faction indicated it was prepared to accept the special convention, Deuba’s refusal to relinquish leadership was “unacceptable,” leaders backing the convention said.

The party concluded its closed session Tuesday evening after approving a report submitted by General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, signaling the formal end of deliberations and clearing the way for the next phase.

Meanwhile, leaders advocating the special convention have begun drafting a proposed slate of office-bearers, according to party sources.

Talks will remain open Wednesday morning, even as preparations advance under a revised election timetable. Sitaram K.C., a senior advocate and coordinator of the central election committee, said the nomination filing window has been extended from 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., allowing the process to move forward should negotiations fail to yield a breakthrough