LALITPUR, Oct 17: Nepali Congress (NC) President Gagan Kumar Thapa has pledged to transform the party into a trusted institution that puts citizens' concerns first and leads the country's ideological and social movements.
Speaking after taking the oath of office at the party’s central office in Sanepa, Lalitpur, on Saturday, Thapa reaffirmed that democracy, human dignity and social justice would remain the party’s core principles. He also assured that the party would focus less on its internal affairs and more on issues affecting ordinary people over the next four years.
During the event, the newly elected party president made several pledges, including modernizing the party and providing ideological leadership capable of addressing the concerns of contemporary Nepali society. He also vowed to bring people from all walks of life, from young people to farmers, into social movements.
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Furthermore, Thapa expressed his commitment to bringing together party members with differing views while ensuring greater transparency and accountability in the leadership.
“The position of party president is not a privilege but a responsibility,” he said.
Arguing that the party should not have to bear the burden of his personal mistakes, he stressed that individuals must take responsibility for their own shortcomings.
Thapa also said the party had decided against lavish Dashain celebrations this year, as many families were still grappling with grief and hardship following recent natural disasters.
On the occasion, he urged party leaders, cadres and the general public to celebrate the festival in solidarity with disaster-affected families and those who had lost loved ones while preserving social harmony.
Also speaking at the program, senior advocate and coordinator of the party's Central Election Committee, Prem Bahadur Khadka, said the party had successfully completed its election process during the recently held 15th National General Convention despite a tight schedule.
He noted that party conventions had been held in all 165 electoral constituencies, paving the way for the central general convention of the country's oldest democratic party.
Khadka called on the party leadership to address growing political indiscipline, safeguard national sovereignty, protect people's right to live with dignity and uphold human rights.