CPN-UML Vice President Ashtalakshmi Shakya has taken a leave of absence from active politics with the 11th general convention.

He says that he has decided to take a leave from the leadership level to hand over the leadership and encourage the second and third generations. Even though he has taken such a decision, Chairman KP Sharma Oli, Senior Vice President Ishwor Pokharel, who are over 70 years old, are competing for the leadership. Ganga BC of Kantipur's conversation with Shakya on the issue of handing over the leadership in the party

He decided to take a leave from active politics at the 11th general convention of UML. Why?

I had said that I would take a leave from active politics after reaching the age of 70 two years ago. Because many new and young generations have come. Friends of the second and third generations are continuously working in the party in big lines. Therefore, opportunities and responsibilities should be shared with them. Only after that can the party move forward stronger, improved and united. I think that by leading in a new way with new ideas and organizing, we can reach our goals.

When the same person remains in leadership repeatedly, new ones do not get opportunities, the party gets stuck in the status quo. That is why we raised this issue in previous general conventions. Yesterday, we also spoke in the meeting that we should give opportunities to the second generation, including Yuvraj Gyawali and Keshav Baral, and that there should be a generational transition after we leave.

I have been involved in politics since 2027. I spent 11 years underground after 2036. I have been in the central committee since the fifth general convention. I took on all kinds of responsibilities in the party. I took on the responsibility of geography, led in many ways.

Is there an argument that the party becomes weak when senior leaders leave active politics?

Today, the party is not as narrow and limited as it was yesterday, it has become much broader and larger. With the change in the system, we need to lead in a new way and way. Doing things the way we did yesterday is not possible. Now we have made a good constitution, we have set the goal of socialism. We should create a new Nepal, a beautiful Nepal, a Nepal free from corruption, with good governance, with social justice established. Nepal should be known in the world as a prosperous country. Our responsibilities have become much broader as we come to a federal democratic republic.

We can no longer operate only with traditional thinking. We must be creative, we must come up with new visions. While strengthening democracy, we must also develop democratic thinking, style, character and culture. The new generation can do the work of building a civilized society, establishing social justice and creating new blueprints for prosperity well. The new generation has education, vision, new technology, and enthusiasm. They have also suffered to form a party, and have come into politics with enthusiasm. Therefore, we should respect them and give them responsibility and let all of us who have reached the age of 70 leave them. Let us give them suggestions and advice and take guardianship. Let us be guardians and take the new generation forward.

KP Oli and Ishwor Pokharel are competing to come back to the leadership after removing the age limit of 70?

They are candidates for the chairmanship. Oli amended the statute to make it favorable to him. Such a trend exists in the party. This is the problem. Our party is a party that believes in the multi-party democracy of the people and has recognized this idea by carrying democratic culture. It has a proud history. Many people, including former UML General Secretary Madan Bhandari, have sacrificed and contributed. Not only us, but the previous generations have also sacrificed a lot. But in this year's general convention, a proposal was made to increase the number of office bearers from 15 to 19. Earlier, before going to multi-position, we used to run with a chairman and a general secretary. We added posts to manage everyone in the new environment. The statute that had 15 office bearers was passed by the general convention. After that was passed, the statute should not have been changed. The statute that was passed after extensive discussion and understanding everyone's feelings should not have been changed.

Chairman KP Oli had said that this would not be a topic of discussion in the secretariat meeting, but later the decision was changed due to pressure. Due to this pressure, there was a risk that it would not be handed over to the second-third generation. Not following the statute convention is not in line with political ethics. In the communist movement, decisions should not be changed repeatedly under pressure. The idea that 'the party will not run without me' is wrong. It is not a matter of one person trying to handle everything, trying to handle the sky and the earth. Now the second, third, young and young generations should be trusted and encouraged. This country and the party will be handled by them. It is their responsibility to strengthen democracy and the federal democratic republic. Why be stingy in providing guardianship? But Oli did not accept this. After that, there will be a competition for the presidency between Oliji and Ishwor Pokharelji.

What is the role of the general convention delegates in handing over leadership and empowering women in the general convention? What is your request to them?

The current general convention delegates have contributed to party building since the beginning of the party, and have worked hard to get here. They should be able to say right from wrong and wrong from right without being misled or pressured. At least, they should make the right decisions by keeping the country and the people in mind and carrying the democratic party on their shoulders. They should be able to cast their valuable votes in the right places. If they do so, the CPN-UML will become a stronger, united and a party that runs on ideas and principles. A fair evaluation will be made in the party.