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Kathmandu, Dec 22: Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa has emphasized that holding elections on March 5 is essential to bring the constitution back on track. He clarified that the party will not participate in the polls without first conducting its general convention.

Speaking to party workers from Kathmandu-4 at a discussion in Dhumbarahi Banquet on Monday, Thapa said the party plans to hold its convention before taking part in the February elections. “Without the convention, Nepali Congress will not, cannot, and should not contest the election. That is clear,” he stated.

Referring to recently publicized ward-level conventions, he noted that minor date adjustments might occur but the process will continue as planned. “The ward conventions may shift by a day or two, but either the regular convention proceeds or a special general convention will be held. There’s no other alternative. The convention will happen,” he said.

Thapa stressed that the party will contest the election after the convention, insisting that the polls on March 5 must proceed. “I must emphasize based on the party’s official decision that holding elections on March 5 is mandatory,” he said. “The constitution has gone off track, and the elections are necessary to restore it.”

He added that a new parliament elected through the polls will gradually carry forward constitutional work. “The election will bring in a new House, and that House will start its work gradually,” he said.

Regardless of whether the February 21 election outcome is favorable or unfavorable for the party, Thapa underlined the importance of participating. “What the election result will be, how favorable or unfavorable it is for us, is an internal matter. We will discuss, make efforts to turn it favorable, work harder, and state our positions,” he said.

Thapa also warned that failure to hold elections could push the country into significant uncertainty, recalling past unstable periods between 2000 BS and 2015 BS. “That is why conducting the election has become necessary,” he added.

People’s News Monitoring Service