Kathmandu, Oct. 4 -- Most Nepali Congress leaders and activists who stayed away from the party's special convention in January are now returning to the mainstream and preparing to take part in the 15th general convention, which begins on Sunday.

The special convention, held from January 11 to 14, elected Gagan Thapa as party president. It was attended by 54 percent of the party's representatives from across the country. Of the 167-member central working committee led by then-president Sher Bahadur Deuba, only 30 members had participated.

Eight months later, that picture has changed significantly.

Another 70 central members who did not attend the special convention have since joined the central working committee under Thapa. Nineteen fo...