Gagan Thapa-Led Nepali Congress Convenes Second Central Committee Meeting

Kathmandu, Nepal, January 17, 2026:  The newly elected Central Working Committee of the Nepali Congress is convening its second official meeting today at 11:30 AM at the Arpan Banquet in Naya Baneshwor. 

 

This scheduled meeting represents a definitive move to consolidate the leadership of Gagan Kumar Thapa, who was elected unopposed as the party President during this week's high-stakes Special General Convention. The convention has been described as a "watershed moment" for Nepal's oldest democratic party, triggered by intense demands for generational change and policy reform following months of internal friction and the "Gen Z" protest movement.

 

The legitimacy of this new leadership was established yesterday when the Election Commission of Nepal officially recognized the Gagan Thapa-led committee. In its landmark ruling, the Commission validated the Special General Convention, noting it was held in accordance with the party statute, which empowers 40% of delegates to call for such a session. This decision effectively grants Thapa’s team control of the party’s official flag and election symbol, significantly strengthening the reformist wing's position ahead of the national elections scheduled for March 5, 2026.

 

Despite holding the legal mandate, the Nepali Congress remains at a crossroads as the Deuba-led faction continues to challenge the convention’s legitimacy. While Thapa’s team works to unify the party at the Arpan Banquet, the Deuba faction is reportedly holding its own separate meeting at party’s headquarters, Sanepa, today to determine its future strategy and potential legal challenges. This deepening split in one of Nepal's most influential political organizations has sent shockwaves through the national political landscape just weeks before the country goes to the polls.