KATHMANDU: As the elections scheduled for November 20 are approaching, political leaders have intensified their attempts to please the leadership and get tickets.

With the top leaders’ commitment to retain the ruling coalition even while contesting in the forthcoming election, young aspirants for leadership are likely to be disappointed again.

In this context, Khabarhub’s Dhiraj Basnet approached Nepali Congress youth leader Prakash Rasaili to discuss what the new generation of leaders think about the continuation of the coalition, seat distribution, and many others. Excerpts:

Has the delay in the allocation of seats in the coalition caused any confusion among young leaders like you?

Nepali Congress is a party with more than one million active membership holders.

It is really challenging to take parties with heterogeneous interests together and allocate the seats on the basis of their stronghold in the public.

This issue will conclude soon after the list of proportional candidates is submitted to the Election Commission.

It was difficult for young leaders like you to get tickets. How many seats is Nepali Congress likely to get in the seat allocation?

Representation of youth within the party is an important issue. The sacrifice made by late Ganesh Man Singh, the belief he held that youths should be given chance in leadership seems forgotten.

The Constitution of Nepal 2015 has envisioned an inclusive, proportional, secular, multilingual, multiethnic nation.

However, the political parties have not been able to act accordingly. Unfortunately, no Dalit candidates were given tickets except due to mandatory provisions in the previous elections.

Nepali Congress party and the left-wing parties misinterpreted the provisions.

The public has been quite conscious now. They can judge how the leaders manipulate the provisions in their favor. It has to be realized on time.

Were you deprived of the leadership or you did not dare to contest directly in the election? 

The mindset of the party leaders has not changed yet. They hold a feudalistic mindset and prefer the old form of governance.

There can be no substantive changes and progress towards prosperity unless the people are provided the rights guaranteed in the constitution. The rebellion becomes useless if the changes established by it are discarded.

So the leadership should understand this. Our party president became the prime minister 5 times. The value of everyone’s vote should be equal.

Why do you think the leadership does not let the people rising from the ground-level politics do not get tickets despite their popularity?

There are various reasons for that. Balancing is not as easy as it sounds in words.

The first reason is that there are many individuals who have contributed a lot to the party. On the other hand, we have problems because of the leaders who always take advantage of the party.

The new generation should be led by embracing the sentiments of the old generation, but not just looking at the age group.

It should also be seen how much the party represents the Dalit and backward communities in the plains and hills. Participation of youth and women should also be given vital importance to make the party vibrant.

In the previous election, you became a member of parliament under the Proportional Representation category. Are you planning to contest for direct votes this time? What is the probability of getting a ticket?

I have told the top leadership including the office bearers that I am ready to contest from any place of the 165 constituencies. If I am not to be given the tickets, the tickets should go for the new and enthusiastic leaders. I believe that NC will give chance to youths like us.