Former Congress president Deuba will skip the party's 15th convention inauguration

Former Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba will not attend the party's 15th convention, which begins today. He will also not attend the inaugural ceremony of the convention, organised by the establishment faction led by President Gagan Kumar Thapa.

The Congress had formally invited Deuba to inaugurate the convention. However, Deuba has declined the invitation.

Congress leader Dr Prakash Saran Mahat has said Deuba will not attend the convention. He has accused the establishment faction of not having invited the Deuba faction to the convention at all and of only doing media publicity.

The convention has sparked a dispute within the party over leadership and legitimacy. The establishment faction, however, says the necessary preparations for the convention have been completed.