Kathmandu, Jan. 8 -- A dissident faction of Nepali Congress led by party general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, has decided to press ahead with a special general convention of the party, as demanded by 54 percent of elected representatives of the general convention.

After backchannel negotiations between the establishment faction, led by party chief Sher Bahadur Deuba, and the Thapa-Sharma camp failed, supporters of the special general convention decided to go ahead on their own. The two general secretaries on Wednesday evening officially called for the special convention, stating it has become a political and legal necessity.

At a press conference on Wednesday, the Special Convention Communication and Publicity Comm...