Tuesday, January 20th, 2026

Gokul Baskota criticizes UML vice-chair Thapa Badal over proportional representation remarks



KATHMANDU: UML central member Gokul Baskota has taken a dig at party vice-chair Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal over his recent remarks on national elections.

On Tuesday, Thapa had suggested at a program in Kathmandu that the Nepali Congress and UML should unite and contest elections together to steer the country out of crisis. Reacting to this on Facebook, Baskota challenged Thapa to withdraw his name from the proportional representation (PR) list and contest elections directly.

Baskota criticized Thapa, noting that leaders who consider themselves powerful and popular have repeatedly relied on the PR system. He wrote, “It is justified for leaders who consider themselves powerful and popular to oppose the PR system after repeatedly contesting through it. And now, they even suggest contesting elections together. If the tree and sun agree, elections are fought. Now, withdrawing your name once from PR is enough. Don’t disrespect inclusivity, especially by men.”

His remarks highlight ongoing internal debates within UML over proportional representation and electoral strategy ahead of upcoming elections.

Publish Date : 31 December 2025 12:25 PM

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