Deuba confident of reclaiming Nepali Congress recognition, Tree symbol and flag

Bhaktapur, September 8, 2026 — Former Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed confidence that his faction will eventually regain official recognition of the party, along with its election symbol, the Tree, and the party flag.

Addressing an event organised by the Nepali Congress Bhaktapur on the 133rd birth anniversary of party founder BP Koirala, Deuba criticised the special general convention that elected Gagan Kumar Thapa as party president, questioning the process through which the convention was held.

Deuba alleged that the special general convention was organised without proper verification of convention delegates and without prior notice to the party leadership. His remarks reflect the continuing dispute between the Deuba faction and the Thapa-led leadership over the legitimate status of the Nepali Congress.

The Supreme Court has already reopened the legal dispute after allowing a review petition filed by Deuba and former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka. The review will determine whether the court’s earlier ruling recognising the Thapa-led faction as the legitimate leadership of the party requires correction.

Deuba said the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the review represented an important development for his faction. He reiterated his confidence in the judiciary and said he expected the final ruling to favour his side.

The Supreme Court had previously recognised the Thapa-led faction as the official Nepali Congress in April, upholding the Election Commission’s decision to recognise the working committee elected by the special general convention. The Deuba faction subsequently challenged that ruling through a review petition, which the court agreed to examine in August.

The court’s decision to review the case has therefore reopened the question of which faction will ultimately control the party and hold its official name, election symbol and organisational identity.

Deuba’s remarks come as the Nepali Congress remains divided over its leadership and the process for its next general convention. The Thapa-led faction has continued preparations for the 15th general convention, while the Deuba faction has maintained that the dispute over the party’s official legitimacy should first be resolved through the courts.