15th general convention of Nepali Congress

2026 internal election of Nepali Congress 4–8 October 2026 15th general convention of Nepali Congress Nepali Congress flag.svg legislative Popular no 2nd special convention of Nepali Congress 2026 2030 50% + 1 votes needed to avoid a runoff Gagan Thapa गगन थापा Member of Parliament, Pratinidhi Sabha (cropped).jpg Gagan Kumar Thapa Shyam Krishna Khadgi.jpg Shyam Krishna Khadgi President Gagan Thapa DC143C 0000FF Gagan Thapa Votes 6,584 % 5.35 375 93.88thumb|Innagural session of 15th general convention of Nepali Congress |257x257px The 15th General Convention of the Nepali Congress was a national convention of Nepali Congress, it was held from 4 to 8 October 2026 at Khula Manch, Kathmandu.2026-10-04 In pictures: Opening of Nepali Congress's 15th General Convention - OnlineKhabar English News https://english.onlinekhabar.com/congresss-15th-general-convention.html 2026-10-04 en-GB The convention began on 4 October at Khula Manch, where the inagural ceremony was held. The country's largest democratic political party, the Congress selected the party's central leadership, including the central office bearers and Central Working Committee members. The party's general convention elected more than 350,000 elected leaders from across the country. Only in the ward committee, around 296,000 were elected.How Deuba lost his own inner circle to Thapa https://kathmandupost.com/politics/2026/09/18/how-deuba-lost-his-own-inner-circle-to-thapa 2026-09-20 kathmandupost.com English Nepali Congress general convention: Consensus in wards, competition at higher levels https://en.setopati.com/political/167268/ 2026-10-10 Setopati Nearly 969,842 active members of the party throughout the country took part in this occasion from ward to national level. The total of 7,500 delegates were elected from 165 constituencies- which in turn voted to elect central level portfolios. Around 7,500 delegates expected to participate in 15th general convention of Nepali Congress https://en.setopati.com/political/167326/ 2026-10-03 Setopatiकांग्रेसका क्रियाशील सदस्य ९ लाख ६९ हजार ८४२ https://www.ratopati.com/story/597407/969842-active-members-of-the-congress 2026-10-10 www.ratopati.com NepaliNepali Congress 15th General Convention to Have Around 7,000 Delegates http://english.ratopati.com/story/79528/7000-delegates-at-the-congress-general-convention 2026-09-20 english.ratopati.com Nepali Preparations for the national convention began with lower-tier organizational elections, starting at the ward level across all 6,743 wards nationwide and progressing through municipal, provincial assembly, constituency, district and provincial conventions. Ahead of the national level of general convention, the party initiated nationwide active membership updates and digital verification across its 165 parliamentary constituencies. The number of active memberships, considered the foundation of the party, also reached 969,842. Background Political context and internal reforms Following the 14th General Convention in December 2021, the Nepali Congress experienced growing internal divisions over party leadership, organisational functioning and preparations for its next general convention. General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma became increasingly critical of the party leadership and called for organisational and political reforms.Why a split in the Nepali Congress looks imminent https://english.nepalnews.com/s/explainers/why-a-split-in-nepali-congress-looks-imminent/ 2026-10-04 Nepal News en The 2025 Gen Z protests, which began on 8 September in response to corruption, poor governance, political privilege and a government ban on social media platforms, intensified pressure for political and institutional change. The protests resulted in widespread unrest, the deaths of dozens of people and the resignation of Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli, followed by the formation of an interim government. Within the Nepali Congress, the movement prompted renewed criticism of the party's political direction and calls for internal reform. Thapa, Sharma and other leaders argued that the party needed to respond to the demands expressed by the movement and undertake organisational and leadership changes. In September 2025, party representatives began a campaign demanding a special general convention. The campaign was led by Thapa and senior leaders, and called for the party to restructure itself in response to the political developments and demands of the Gen Z movement. More than 40 percent of the party's general convention representatives, the threshold required under the party statute, eventually supported the demand. By October, 2,488 representatives, representing more than 54 percent of the total, had signed the demand. After negotiations between the party establishment and the reformist faction failed, Thapa and Sharma announced that they would proceed with a special general convention in January 2026.2,488 Congress representatives submit signatures demanding special convention https://english.khabarhub.com/2025/15/501558/ 2026-10-04 Khabarhub en The 2nd special convention of Nepali Congress was held at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu from 11 to 14 January 2026. It was convened by the Thapa–Sharma faction, while party president Sher Bahadur Deuba and leaders aligned with him opposed and boycotted the convention. The convention proposed dissolving the Central Working Committee elected at the 14th General Convention and establishing a new committee to serve until the 15th General Convention. It subsequently elected Gagan Thapa as president, with Bishwa Prakash Sharma and Pushpa Bhusal as vice presidents and Pradip Paudel and Gururaj Ghimire as general secretaries.Congress special general convention kicks off amid party rift https://kathmandupost.com/politics/2026/01/11/congress-special-general-convention-kicks-off-amid-party-rift 2026-10-04 kathmandupost.com English Gagan Thapa elected NC President https://en.setopati.com/political/165798/ 2026-10-04 Setopati The special convention adopted proposals for extensive political and organisational reforms. These included internal primary elections for selecting party candidates, a digital system for candidate evaluation and recommendation, greater representation of women, youth, workers, professionals and persons with disabilities in party committees, and provisions for representation of different social and ethnic communities. It also endorsed a proposal to limit an individual to serving as prime minister for a maximum of two terms and called for corresponding amendments to the party statute and the Constitution. Thapa said the reforms were intended to respond to public dissatisfaction with established political parties and restore public confidence, particularly among younger generations. The special convention resulted in a dispute over the legitimate leadership of the party. On 16 January 2026, the Election Commission of Nepal recognised the Central Working Committee elected by the special convention. The Supreme Court of Nepal subsequently upheld the recognition on 17 April before the 2026 general election, although it later granted a petition to review the decision in August. The dispute continued as the Thapa-led Nepali Congress proceeded with preparations for the 15th General Convention.Nepali Congress extends deadline for active membership updates https://en.setopati.com/political/166553/ 2026-09-20 Setopati Following the special convention, the Thapa-led leadership introduced amendments to the party statute and began a new process of updating and distributing active memberships. The amended statute incorporated references to the aspirations of the 8–9 September 2025 Gen Z movement, including good governance, a corruption-free state structure, greater youth representation and political change. The party subsequently incorporated members of the Central Working Committee elected at the 14th General Convention who had not participated in the special convention, allowing previously divided leaders to participate in preparations for the 15th General Convention.१५औँ महाधिवेशन नेतृत्व छान्ने मात्र होइन, कांग्रेस बदल्ने ऐतिहासिक अवसर : नैनसिंह महर https://www.ratopati.com/story/593225/the-15th-general-convention-is-not-just-a-historic-opportunity-to-elect-leadership-but-also-to-change-the-congress-nainsingh-mahar 2026-09-20 ratopati.com Nepali Delegate structure and representation The 15th General Convention involved the election of over 350,000 executive office-bearers across all administrative levels. The bottom-up election hierarchy progresses through several stages:आज ३१ जिल्लामा कांग्रेसको वडा अधिवेशन https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2026/09/2020978/congress-ward-convention-in-31-districts-today 2026-09-20 Online Khabar en-USकांग्रेसले ४३ जिल्लामा वडा अधिवेशन सक्यो, ३१ जिल्लामा आज https://www.ujyaaloonline.com/detail/131720/ 2026-09-20 ujyaaloonline.com15th General Convention: NC picking new leadership through voting today https://english.nepalnews.com/s/politics/15th-general-convention-nc-picking-new-leadership-through-voting-today/ 2026-10-10 Nepal News en Ward level: An estimated 296,692 office-bearers were elected across Nepal's 6,743 wards. Constituency and district level: Each of the 165 House of Representatives constituencies elected 25 general convention delegates directly, alongside executive committees across all 77 districts. The 25 general convention delegated shall include representation of women, youths and minority. Provincial level: Delegates convened across the 7 provinces to form provincial executive committees. Central convention: A total of approximately 7,500 national delegates assembled in Kathmandu to elect the central office-bearers and CWC members. Mandated inclusivity and youth quotas To ensure diverse social and demographic representation, the updated party statute enforced strict inclusion criteria:कांग्रेसमा आउँदै ३५ मुनिका झण्डै ५ सय महाधिवेशन प्रतिनिधि, नेतृत्व चयनमा निर्णायक बन्ने https://lokaantar.com/story/328987/2026/9/16/main-news/congress 2026-09-20 Lokaantar Nepali Women's representation: A mandatory baseline of at least 33% representation for women was enforced across all committees and delegation tiers. Youth allocation: Specific reservation quotas ensured that members under the age of 40 hold at least 10–15% of delegate and committee positions. Social cluster proportionality: Delegate seats were allocated proportionately across eight designated clusters: Khas Arya, Adivasi Janajati, Madhesi, Dalit, Tharu, Muslim, Disability and Backward Regions. Central general convention delegates Approximately 7,317 national delegates assembled in Kathmandu to elect the central office-bearers and central committee members and portfolios.Licensable picture: Nepal’s Largest Opposition Party Nepali Congress Votes To Elect High-post Officials A Year Ahead Of Local Polls https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/nepals-largest-opposition-party-nepali-congress-votes-to-elect-high-post-officials-a-year-ahead-of-local-polls/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjY6bmV3c21sX01UMU5VUlBITzAwME9NMDJHOA 2026-10-10 Reuters Connect en From House of Representatives constituency In each House of Representatives constituency, delegates were chosen by the House of Representatives Constituency Convention from among its members.Nepali Congress Constitution https://nepalicongress.org/media/documents/Nepali_congress_book_hbGJxTH.pdf Nepali Directly elected representatives 14 general delegates (including at least 4 women) 2 delegates representing workers, professional fields or subject-matter experts 3 youth delegates under the age of 35 (including at least 1 woman) 1 delegate representing persons with disabilities Proportional representation 10 delegates elected on a proportional representation basis, matching the demographic composition of the constituency across inclusive clusters. Ex-officio delegates The President of the House of Representatives Constituency Committee. The Presidents of Rural Municipality and Municipality Committees within that constituency. From sister organizations Delegates are elected through the national conventions of recognized party sister organizations as prescribed by party rules. From overseas Nepali Janasamparka Samiti Delegates are elected through the conventions of recognized overseas janasamparka committees. Nominated delegates The Central President has the authority to nominate up to 75 active party members as Central Convention Delegates. These nominations shall prioritize representation for women, Dalit, Indigenous/Janjati, Madhesi, Muslim, Tharu, Khas Arya, persons with disabilities, backward regions, third gender individuals, distinguished experts/professionals, and martyrs' families or democracy movement participants Election timetable +DateEvents2026-09-09 Nepali Congress to hold 15th General Convention inauguration at Tundikhel - OnlineKhabar English News https://english.onlinekhabar.com/nepali-congress-to-hold-15th-general-convention-inauguration-at-tundikhel.html 2026-09-20 en-GB2026-09-18 Congress ward conventions to begin Saturday - OnlineKhabar English News https://english.onlinekhabar.com/congress-ward-conventions-to-begin-saturday.html 2026-09-20 en-GB 2020-06-10 15th Gen Convention schedule set for Oct 2-5 is the final: Gagan Thapa https://en.nepalkhabar.com/news/detail/19341/?utm_source=gemini 2026-09-20 en.nepalkhabar.com 18 August 2026Finalization of general convention timeline19–20 September 2026Ward convention22–24 September 2026Municipal and Rural Municipal Conventions26–27 September 2026Provincial Assembly constituency conventions28–29 September 2026House of Representatives constituency conventions30 September – 1 October 2026District and Provincial Conventions4–8 October 202615th Central General Convention Party President Election S.NNameVotesPercentageResultReferenceObtainedTotal1.Gagan Kumar Thapa 6,584 6,959 94.60Electedमतगणना - लाइभ परिणाम Vote Counting - Live Results https://nepalicongress.org/mahadhiveshan/natija/ Nepali Congress 15 October 2026 ne https://web.archive.org/web/20261016093539/https://nepalicongress.org/mahadhiveshan/natija/ 2026-10-16 10 October 2026 Gagan Thapa elected Nepali Congress president https://en.setopati.com/political/167384/ Setopati2.Shyam Krishna Khadgi 375 5.40 Total Delegates: 7,255NC General Convention: Delegates voting to elect new leadership https://www.myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/nc-general-convention-delegates-voting-to-elect-new-leadership-82-47.html https://web.archive.org/web/20261008040911/https://www.myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/nc-general-convention-delegates-voting-to-elect-new-leadership-82-47.html 8 October 2026 MyRepublica Sharma Bhuvan 8 October 2026 · Votes Cast: 7,013 (96.66%) · Valid Votes: 6,959 (99.23%) · Invalid Votes: 54 (0.77%) Central Committee Portfolio Election S.NNameVotesResultQuotaReferenceSenior Vice-Chairperson (1)1.Bishwa Prakash Sharma UnopposedElectedOpen Bishwa Prakash Sharma elected Nepali Congress senior vice-president unopposed https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/bishwa-prakash-sharma-elected-nepali-congress-senior-vice-president-unoppos-55-39.html 2026-10-07 myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com EnglishThree Candidates Unopposed in Nepali Congress Convention Election http://english.ratopati.com/story/82789/three-people-including-bishwaprakash-elected-unopposed-to-congress 2026-10-07 english.ratopati.com Vice-Chairperson (4)1.Govinda Bhattarai 1,752Open (2)यस्तो छ कांग्रेस उम्मेदवारको अन्तिम सूची (नामावलीसहित) https://www.ratopati.com/story/598038/this-is-the-final-list-of-congress-candidates-with-names 2026-10-07 www.ratopati.com Nepaliकांग्रेस उपसभापतिमा भण्डारी, आचार्य र चौधरी, महामन्त्रीमा पौडेल, राणा र संग्रौला निर्वाचित https://ekantipur.com/politics/2026/10/11/bhandari-acharya-and-chaudhary-elected-as-congress-vice-presidents-poudel-rana-and-sangraula-elected-as-general-secretaries-31-35.html 2026-10-11 Ekantipur ne2.Dr. Chandra Bhandari 3,735Elected3.Dr. Chandra Mohan Yadav 7604.Deepak Giri 9235.Dhanraj Gurung 1,5966.Madhu Prasad Acharya 2,342Elected7.Surendra Raj Pandey 1,6731.Jiwan Pariyar 1,658Inclusive (1)2.Farmullah Mansoor 1,1443.Binod Chaudhary 1,745Elected4.Ranjeet Karna 5625.Sita Gurung 1,1121.Pushpa Bhusal GautamUnopposed ElectedFemale (1)General Secretary (3)1.Amar Singh Pun 1,125Open (2)2.Udaya Shumsher Rana 2,330Elected3.Gururaj Ghimire 1,5134.Nain Singh Mahar 1,1345.Pradip Paudel 4,194Elected6.Shankar Tiwari 1237.Dr. Santosh Upadhyaya 978.Dr. Sunil Kumar Sharma 2,2571.Dr. Dila Sangraula 3,118ElectedFemale (1)2.Mahalaxmi Upadhyaya 2,8643.Rita Khanal 804Joint General Secretary (15)1.Nanu Maya Bastola 1,554Female (1) Ramhari Khatiwada, Ajaya Babu Shiwakoti elected Nepali Congress joint general secretaries https://en.setopati.com/political/167407/ 2026-10-13 Setopatiमहिला खुलातर्फ केन्द्रीय सदस्यमा काे–काे भए निर्वाचित ? (मतसहित) https://www.ratopati.com/story/599395/who-was-elected-as-a-central-member-in-the-womens-open-category-with-votes 2026-10-13 www.ratopati.com Nepali2026-10-14 Bahadur Singh Lama wins Congress indigenous nationalities joint general secretary post - OnlineKhabar English News https://english.onlinekhabar.com/bahadur-singh-lama-wins.html 2026-10-14 en-GBखस आर्यतर्फ कांग्रेस सहमहामन्त्रीमा मनोजमणि आचार्य निर्वाचित Manoj Mani Acharya elected as Congress Joint General Secretary for Khas Arya https://www.setopati.com/politics/400951 2026-10-16 www.setopati.com Nepali2.Pratima Gautam 5,116Elected1.Ajaya Babu Shiwakoti 2,173ElectedOpen (2)2.Amrit Kumar Aryal 9213.Devendra Raj Kadel 1,3814.Dilli Ram Subedi 1,8525.Bikash Koirala 1,1446.Bimal Raj Chhetri 2837.Ramesh Prasad Dhamala 7808.Ram Hari Khatiwada 2,910Elected9.Rajiv Dhungana 1,2321.Om Bahadur Gharti Magar 1,470Indigenous (1)2.Taraman Gurung 8773.Dilman Pakhrin 6284.Prashant Man Singh Maskey 2385.Bahadur Singh Lama 3,206Elected1.Narendra Paswan 772Dalit (1)2.Prakash Rasaili Snehi 4,803Elected3.Man Bahadur Nepali 1,1201.Ajay Kumar Chaurasia 1,712ElectedMadhesi (1)2.Abhishek Pratap Singh 1,2103.Kiran Yadav 6814.Nagina Yadav 4055.Manish Kumar Mishra 1976.Mahendra Yadav 1,4837.Mukta Kumari Yadav 3378.Ram Paltan Shah 6311.Jagadishwar Narsingh KC 2,200Khas Arya (1)2.Dinesh Koirala 1,2483.Manoj Mani Acharya 2,648Elected4.Shubha Ram Basnet 5351.Teju Lal Chaudhary 1,970Tharu (1)2.Yogendra Chaudhary 3,487Elected3.Surendra Prasad Chaudhary 1,3831.Atahar Kamal Musalman 557Muslim (1)2.Abdul Sattar 2,7273.Dr. Firdaush Alam 3,347Elected1.Janak Raj Giri 1,370Backwarded area (1)2.Jiwan Bahadur Shahi 3,906Elected3.Narayan Prasad Bhattarai 7214.Rajan Kunwar 3245.Ram Bahadur Bista 2601.Angelu Sherpa 3,666ElectedMinorities or disabled (1)2.Nagendra Kumar Kumal 2,1043.Baba Krishna Sapkota 1,065 See also Nepali Congress 2nd special convention of Nepai Congress References Category:Politics of Nepal Category:Nepali Congress Category:Political history of Nepal Category:Internal elections of political parties in Nepal