KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala has urged his party to embrace the political possibilities opened up by the Gen-Z movement, stressing that the party must win back public trust with a fresh vision.
“The party must integrate the emotions of society and the youth into a national ethos and dedicate itself to building a strong nation,” Koirala said in a statement released Saturday.
He acknowledged that the energy of the Gen-Z protests has pushed the two dominant parties out of power, and argued that the Nepali Congress must conduct honest self-reflection and chart a new course.
At the same time, he condemned the assault and looting that took place at Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s residence on September 9, calling it a heinous crime. He also rejected the vandalism of public property during the September 8–9 protests as unacceptable under any circumstances.
Invoking the legacy of BP Koirala, Ganeshman Singh, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, and Girija Prasad Koirala, he stressed that the party needs to reinvent its leadership, organization, and ideas to remain relevant in the new political climate. He revealed that the Nepali Congress plans to initiate nationwide discussions and debates after the Dashain festival.
Koirala also responded to the recent burning of the historic Koirala residence in Biratnagar, remarking, “The physical structure of the Koirala residence may turn to ashes, but the ideas and democratic struggles it represents cannot be destroyed.”
Concluding his remarks, he appealed to Congress cadres to transform the party into one “centered on the people,” quoting BP Koirala’s famous words: “Nepal will surely awaken, with the slogan of Jai Nepal.”
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