Kathmandu, Jan. 15 -- Efforts to prevent a split in the Nepali Congress failed as the party's special general convention on Wednesday elected a new central committee led by Gagan Thapa, the new party president. The election came hours after the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led central committee suspended leaders Thapa, Bishwa Prakash Sharma, and Farmullah Mansoor.

Sharma and Pushpa Bhusal were elected vice-presidents, while Pradeep Paudel and Gururaj Ghimire were selected as general secretaries unanimously.

Paudel had lost the general secretary post in the 14th general convention on Deuba's panel, while Ghimire had led a signature campaign for the special convention and had previously served as Thapa's associate in the Nepal Student Union leaders...