Nepali Congress votes for new leadership at first regular convention in almost five years, with a rival camp boycotting

Delegates of the Nepali Congress began voting in Kathmandu at 10am Nepal time on Thursday 8 October (delayed by three hours because of rain and technical problems) to choose a new Central Working Committee at the party's 15th General Convention. About 7,255 delegates are voting at three venues, according to OnlineKhabar. Nepal News reports that acting president Gagan Thapa is the front-runner, while the faction around Sher Bahadur Deuba rejects the convention and plans a rival gathering on 7–9 December. A Supreme Court review of the Election Commission's recognition of Thapa's committee remains pending.

The stakes are high: the party won 38 seats in the March election, down from 89 in 2022.