Gagan Thapa re-elected president of Nepali Congress — Kathmandu Post
In Kathmandu, Nepal, Gagan Thapa retained his position as president of the Nepali Congress party, winning 93.88% of the vote at its 15th general convention. According to the Kathmandu Post, Thapa received 6,584 votes, while his rival Shyam Krishna Khadgi was supported by 375 voters. Another contender, Kishore Singh Rathore, withdrew his candidacy.
Thapa led the party at a special convention in January, attended by about 54% of its representatives. The Election Commission recognized the leadership elected then, although a legal dispute over the procedure for holding that convention continues.
Factional differences
Despite Thapa's convincing result, the Nepali Congress remains divided by factional rivalry. Former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba did not join the structure led by Thapa and is conducting a separate convention process. At the same time, more than 30 politicians who had previously been associated with Deuba moved to the structure led by Thapa.
Political analyst Bishnu Sapkota believes that Thapa's rise to the party leadership should have happened four or five years earlier. At the same time, he warned that a change of leader would not mean an immediate transformation of the Nepali Congress, as representatives of the old political culture retain influence at lower levels of the party structure.
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Renewing the structure and program
At the convention, the Nepali Congress expanded the number of leadership positions from 14 to 25. The party provides for five vice presidents, three general secretaries, and 15 joint general secretary positions. In the new Central Working Committee, 21 seats were reserved for party members under the age of 35.
Criticizing the new leadership, Deuba's camp said that the party was moving away from its socialist tradition. Thapa denies this and stresses that the Nepali Congress's economic policy will continue to be based on democracy, nationalism, and socialism, but that these principles will be adapted to modern conditions.
Political science professor Krishna Khanal noted that the key test for Thapa will be turning the stated ideas into specific economic and social policy, as well as restoring the party's connection with voters. The next local and provincial elections are expected to be the first major test for the new leadership.
