NC rejects president Thapa’s resignation

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 23: The Nepali Congress has rejected the resignation tendered by party president Gagan Kumar Thapa. 

A central working committee meeting of the party on Sunday unanimously decided not to accept the resignation.

 Thapa had tendered his resignation on March 18 on moral grounds after the party suffered defeat in the House of Representatives elections held on March 5. Thapa himself lost the election to an RSP candidate in Sarlahi-4. 

Party Spokesperson Devraj Chalise said the decision was unanimous. He confirmed that the decision was made unanimously by the full meeting of the central working committee. 

During the meeting, committee members and office-bearers expressed their opinions on Thapa’s resignation. 

The committee concluded that the electoral defeat was attributed to structural problems and uncontrollable external factors. The committee noted that, given the current complex national situation, party president Thapa’s leadership remains crucial.

Furthermore, the committee expressed concern that accepting the resignation could lead to unnecessary instability within the party, create uncertainty, and lower the morale of party workers. It was also emphasised that the resignation, being a voluntary and moral matter, should be respected but ultimately rejected.

The committee underlined the importance of collective responsibility and stability in party leadership, as well as the need to continue the reform programme (Congress 2.0) initiated after the special general convention held in January this year.

Additionally, the party recognised the importance of focusing on the upcoming 15th General Assembly.

Furthermore, the meeting approved the 27-point preliminary review report of the election presented by vice-president Bishwo Prakash Sharma with some revisions.

The report has identified the main reasons for the election outcomes, including weak organisational strength due to extreme factionalism and internal disunity, and the past coalition government’s performance, which was contrary to public expectations. 

The report stated that the structural weaknesses in past governance systems (with 32 government changes in 35 years) led to growing public frustration. The Gen-Z youth movement expressed dissatisfaction with the older political forces, and the impact of algorithmic influences in the digital age benefited the new political forces.

The meeting concluded that all these reasons are not individual but structural, systemic, and circumstantial. 

It was also concluded that it would be difficult for the newly formed leadership after the special general convention to address all these challenges within the limited timeframe of approximately 50 days.

According to Chalise, the party has instructed the party districts and constituencies committees to send the election review reports. 

The preliminary review, along with the reports received from the districts, will be compiled and re-examined to assess the election results further, he informed. 

The meeting also highlighted that the future direction of the party is its 15th general convention, which will address the selection of new leadership, amendments to the party’s constitution, organisational restructuring, and formulation of future strategies 

Reflecting on the election results, the party views it as an opportunity for the party’s revival and reconstruction.

Meanwhile, the party also discussed the escalating conflict in the Middle East and urged the government to ensure the safety of millions of Nepali citizens in war-torn areas. 

The party also requested the government to take immediate action for the safe return of Nepali citizen Amrit Jha, detained by the Iranian military at the Bandar Abbas port in the Hormuz region.

The meeting also called for the immediate release of the report submitted by the investigation Commission led by Gauri Bahadur Karki regarding the September 8-9 Gen-Z movement. 

The meeting that began on March 20 was chaired by Vice-President Bishwo Prakash Sharma. The meeting was attended by 88 central members and office-bearers. 

In the meeting party vice president Pushpa Bhusal, general secretaries Pardip Paudel and Guru Raj Ghimire, joint general secretaries and central committee members expressed their views, according to a press statement issued by the party’s Acting Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Dulal on Sunday night.