Three decades have passed since the debate on leadership and generational change in the Congress. The founding leaders of the Congress had put forward the idea that the party's leadership should be in line with the 21st century in the 1950s. However, that idea has not yet been universally accepted in the party.

The founding leader of the party, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, had made public the idea that the leadership change should be in line with the times by proposing this to the then President Girija Prasad Koirala. He had said, referring to Koirala, 'The Congress should be made a party in line with the 21st century. The leadership should now go to the new generation.' He had said that he wanted to strengthen the political and moral foundation and that was why he had helped Sher Bahadur Deuba become the Prime Minister.

Deuba became the Prime Minister in 2009. Bhattarai, who resigned from the central committee after internal conflicts within the party increased, had said in a special interview with Kantipur on 2001 that he had no other choice but to leave the party except active membership, and that his views on the issue of the Congress were at odds with Girija Babu. ‘As the founder, there was no question of giving up active membership, not even when I was in a position of responsibility,’ he had said. This debate, initiated by the party’s founder Bhattarai himself, is still ongoing. The older generation of leaders are demanding that the APFs return to the leadership.

Bhattarai had not liked Girija Prasad’s style of work since he became the Prime Minister in 2048. Citing the 54-year friendship with Girija Prasad, he had said that his and his views on the issue of the Congress were different. He had said that Girija Prasad should give up one of the two posts. At that time, Girija Prasad was the party president and the leader of the parliamentary party.

Saint leader Bhattarai had made it public that if Girija Prasad gave up one of the two posts, his personal prestige would be important in the party and the world, and the person who gave up would be revered everywhere. However, he had said that Girija Prasad should not give up the post of president that he had legally won. He had indirectly meant that he should give up the parliamentary party leader.

Deuba stepped down as Prime Minister in 2053 B.E. after two MPs from his own party were absent from the vote in parliament. After that, Girija Prasad became the leader of the parliamentary party in the bid to become the Prime Minister with the support of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party. However, Girija Prasad's plan failed when the UML supported RPP parliamentary party leader Lakendra Bahadur Chand as the Prime Minister.

In Asoj 2054 B.E., RPP Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa replaced Chand and became the Prime Minister with the support of the Congress. However, the Council of Ministers was completed only after two months as the Congress was unable to select a minister. Bhattarai had disagreed with Girija Prasad regarding the list of ministers to be sent by the Congress and the people nominated to the central committee. Bhattarai had been suspicious and dissatisfied with Girija Prasad since the incident in which Girija Prasad made a 17-minute statement public on Radio Nepal in the by-election of Kathmandu Constituency No. 1 after 2048.

In the context of Girija Prasad raising legal issues regarding leaving the post, Bhattarai had said in an interview with Kantipur, ‘Girija Babu became the Prime Minister for three and a half years.’ Even then, there was no voting in the parliamentary party of the Congress, which had a majority in the parliament. Later, the same central committee where Girija Babu sat gave me a ticket and made me a candidate in the by-election. However, Girija Babu opposed me by speaking for 17 minutes on the radio while remaining in the post of Prime Minister. Let's not talk about the legal process.''

Bhattarai had said that the leadership should be transferred to a new generation and for that, he had the audacity to disagree with his special friend (Girija Prasad) of 54 years of joy and sorrow. Citing the fact that Girija Prasad had been a friend since 2000, Bhattarai had said that he would cherish the friendship of more than 50 years. 'The reason for the difference of opinion between me and him in politics is different,' he had said.

The news prepared by Vishwamani Pokharel, focusing on the internal rift between Girija Prasad and Bhattarai, with the reference to the fact that the founding leader himself had put forward a proposal for a timely leadership and generational change three decades ago, was published by Kantipur Daily on 12 December 2011 under the title 'Congress leadership should be transferred to a new generation: Bhattarai'. At that time, internal conflicts and factional politics were rife within the Congress. As a result, Bhattarai resigned from the central committee.