KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress is set to field party President Gagan Kumar Thapa as its prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5.
According to the party, a meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) to be held today at the party’s central office in Sanepa will formally announce Thapa as the prime ministerial candidate.
Party spokesperson Devaraj Chalise said the decision to name the prime ministerial candidate will be endorsed by the CWC meeting. “With the message of a new and renewed Congress across the country, we are moving forward by presenting President Gagan Thapa as our prime ministerial candidate,” Chalise said.
He added that the party is preparing to contest the election with clear leadership, incorporating the mandate of the Special General Convention as well as addressing the call for good governance and development raised by the Gen-Z movement. “Our strategy is to give voters clarity in advance about who will become prime minister after they cast their votes,” Chalise said.
The Nepali Congress Special General Convention, held at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu from January 11 to 15, had elected a new Central Working Committee under the leadership of Thapa. According to spokesperson Chalise, the office bearers and members elected from the convention are scheduled to reach the party’s central office in Sanepa at 1 pm today.
Although the first and second meetings of the CWC after Thapa’s election, as well as meetings of the parliamentary board formed to select candidates for the House of Representatives election, were held outside the party’s central office, today’s meeting marks the formal entry of the Thapa-led committee into the Sanepa office.
“The Central Working Committee will begin holding its meetings at the central office from today,” Chalise said, adding that the committee will also formally assume office today.
He further informed that the Election Committee will officially hand over certificates to the Central Working Committee members during today’s meeting.
With the March 5 election approaching, other major political parties have already announced their prime ministerial candidates. The CPN-UML has named its chair KP Sharma Oli as its prime ministerial candidate, while the Rastriya Swatantra Party has put forward Balen Shah for the post.
Within the Nepali Congress, however, the move to convene a Special General Convention, initiated by leaders including Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, had faced opposition from the faction led by then party president Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Despite internal dissent, the Special General Convention went ahead and formed a new leadership. The newly constituted committee has stated that it aims to run the party in a new way, positioning itself as a force for change as the country heads into the general election.
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