Kathmandu, Jan. 9 -- A day after Nepali Congress general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma officially called for a special convention, fear has gripped the rank and file that the country's oldest political party may split.

Confrontation between the party establishment and the rival faction became more pronounced on Thursday following Thapa and Sharma's Wednesday announcement that the special convention would be held on January 11 and 12 in Kathmandu.

As the convention organisers say their preparations are in full swing, a meeting of the central work execution committee on Thursday evening requested both Thapa and Sharma to withdraw the special convention for the sake of the party's unity-but the duo refused to do so.

Th...