- Gagan Thapa denied the existence of official panels or factions for the Nepali Congress 15th General Convention elections.
- Thapa warned delegates against unofficial candidate lists using his image, urging them to vote based on their own judgment and merit.
- Voting for the Central Working Committee was delayed until Friday due to technical reasons and incomplete preparations.
- The President encouraged a healthy democratic process, asking members to prioritize the party's interests over rumors or unauthorized endorsements.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa has said there are no panels or factions in the party’s 15th General Convention and urged delegates not to be misled by candidate lists circulated in his name.
Thapa issued the clarification after some candidates contesting for the Central Working Committee reportedly used his name and photograph while seeking votes, creating confusion over whether they had his support.
In a social media post, Thapa urged delegates to make their own decisions and vote according to their judgment and assessment of the candidates.
“This is a healthy internal democratic process within the party. There are no panels or factions this time,” he wrote.
He said candidate lists carrying his name should not be taken as evidence of his official support. He also urged delegates not to believe rumours and to consider the interests of the party while casting their votes.
The use of a party president’s name and photograph in election campaigns can influence delegates by giving the impression that certain candidates have the backing of the party leadership. Thapa’s statement seeks to clear up that confusion, although it remains important for the party to establish whether the lists were circulated with or without the candidates’ consent and whether they accurately represented any formal endorsement.
The controversy has also drawn attention to the role of factional politics in the party’s internal elections. Although Thapa has said there are no panels this time, the circulation of such lists suggests that delegates may still face questions about candidates’ political affiliations and support within the party.
Thapa urged delegates to vote based on their own judgment, values and confidence in individual candidates rather than being influenced by unofficial lists or rumours.
Meanwhile, voting to elect the new Central Working Committee was delayed by a day because preparations were incomplete, according to the report.
The Election Committee had scheduled voting to begin at 7 a.m. on Friday. However, polling had not started at the time of the report, even though delegates had begun lining up early in the morning.
The election was initially scheduled for Thursday but was postponed until Friday. Thapa said the delay was due to technical reasons and apologised to delegates for the inconvenience.
The delay raises questions about the election preparations and the committee’s communication with delegates. The Election Committee needs to explain the reasons for the postponement and provide clear information about the revised schedule to avoid further confusion.
The convention is expected to determine the party’s new leadership. For the election to be credible, delegates must be able to vote freely, candidates must follow the same campaign rules, and claims of support from party leaders must be clearly verified.
Thapa has called on delegates to put the party’s interests first. The conduct of the election and the way the party handles questions over unofficial endorsements will be important in determining whether that appeal is reflected in practice.
