Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday said he would retire only after reviving the party’s lost glory. Congress leaders have been pressing Deuba to resign, holding the captain responsible for the party’s poor show in the federal and provincial elections last year.

As Deuba has refused to own up the defeat and quit, rival factions of the party press for referring the dispute to the party’s 1,000-strong Mahasamiti expected to meet within a month.

At a greetings exchange programme in the Capital on Saturday, Deuba said he would work to elevate the party to the top position from the next general elections. He stated that the NC’s principle prevails following elections to the three-tier federal administration set up by the new constitution.

He asked the government to ensure justice for the victims of rape and gender-based violence, expressing concern over the growing number of such crimes across the country. At the same programme, NC General Secretary Shashank Koirala blamed the party’s poor performance last elections on disunity among the leaders and cadres.

Meanwhile, the Mahasamiti meeting slated for November 21-25 is likely to be deferred till December. Sources say it is impossible to hold the party jamboree on time as the charter drafting committee is still drafting amendments—to be presented for the central committee’s approval before tabling the document at the apex body. The NC plans to amend the statute for forming its provincial committees.