Gagan's risky journey in Congress: An alternative path to change?

Amidst the siege, he has made the demand for a special convention his top agenda, with the support and support of another chief minister, Vishwaprakash Sharma. What direction does this journey of Thapa give to the future of the Congress?

आश्विन १०, २०८२

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Gagan's risky journey in Congress: An alternative path to change?

Nepali Congress General Minister Gagan Thapa is currently under double pressure from inside and outside the party. On the one hand, the party establishment has surrounded him with accusations of rebellion against the leadership, while on the other, the society and Congress well-wishers are pressuring him to demolish the old structure and install a new leadership. Some well-wishers have clearly given pressure to 'break the old generation and move on, otherwise form a new party'.

After the attack of the protestors, when the chairman Sher Bahadur Deuba was injured and was in the hospital bed, Thapa raised the issue of leadership change and the establishment side is targeting him. Amidst this siege, he has made the demand for a special convention his main agenda, which has the support and support of another general minister, Vishwaprakash Sharma. What direction does this trip of Thapa give to the future of Congress?

Professor and political analyst Krishna Khanal says that for the future of the Congress, two general ministers must now take over the party. He believes that the continuation of the current leadership will end the Congress. Therefore, the steps that Gagan and the world are trying to take are natural and should be done. Even now Deuba's defense means ending the Congress,' Khanal said, 'Congress has its own long history and background. There is a great contribution for the change of the country. This is the party that has a history of introducing the idea of ​​democracy and is still trusted when talking about democracy. However, Deuba will either end the party by staying or save the party by stepping aside, these are the only two options left.'

Thapa's political journey began with the struggling issues of the streets and society, not with a leader's handshake or blessing. Standing on the foundation of movement and struggle, his leadership style is attractive to some among the new generation within the Congress, but he and another general minister, Vishwaprakash Sharma. However, the establishment is trying to portray him as a leader of personal ambition rather than party strength. It is understood by the party establishment that they are trying to take leadership through a special convention by creating an alternative pole within the party.

There is also a question that Mahamantri Thapa is trying to call the special convention to be the chairman, as the establishment party did. However, Chief Minister Thapa rejects such a response. He says that he is ready to pay any price to change the current leadership, working style and thinking by reorganizing the party.

'The way we have partisanized society in past years and decades is the main cause of today's grievances. Our party and the way our government is run have helped corruption. The great anger of the present generation lies in that. We have to create determination and faith that how we can stay away from that path,'' Thapa told Kantipur, 'Congress must now reform everything and change new thinking and style, change leaders. You need a place to do that. Whether it is a special convention or a regular convention. I did not seek leadership for that. I am willing to stay as an ordinary member. I am ready to sit on the floor and work.'

Also, Gagan-Vishwa has not taken initiatives and efforts in the past. However, they were not meaningful and result-oriented. Geza Sharma Wagle, another analyst, says that after the changes brought about by the Genji Movement, the opportunity to reorganize and transform the Congress has again come into the hands of these two leaders.

'This is the final test for Gagan-Viswa generation. Now Gagan-Vishva is not allowed to fail like in the past. If they fail this time too, they will not get a chance for another exam," says Wagle, "The future strategy of Shekhar Koirala and the Chief Minister will now focus on the special convention and selection of new leadership. After this, the perception of the party and the majority of the Congress will be focused on the policies and ideas they have taken.'

General Minister Thapa and Sharma spoke a lot in Parliament and on the streets about the dysfunction of the party and the government. For this reason, within the party, he was also given the nickname of 'evergreen opposition' to the leader of social media. When speaking on political platforms, they always said, 'If Sher Bahadur Deuba, KP Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal take a break, many problems of Nepal's politics will be solved.' From the 13th Congress, he came with an agenda to replace the current leadership within the party. Since the 2079 election, Sharma has been openly saying that Deuba should not become the Prime Minister under any circumstances. The views and opinions of these two chief ministers were only a matter of debate in the political arena, and could never be decisive. Their interventionist role within the party could not be successful due to the resistance of the establishment, the weakness of the organization and the lack of numbers. With the Genji Movement of August 23 and 24 changing the rules of numbers, they have announced that they have moved forward for transformation so as not to turn back.

'What happened on August 23 and 24, all those complaints are with us. There is also expectation. If we have to address it and start a new journey, where is that platform? A new convention can be created, let's do it. A special convention can be called, let's call it,' says Thapa, 'Sher Bahadur Deuba is not the only one responsible for this failure. We all failed. Now the continuity of this leadership will not be maintained for long. I have to choose a new leadership, that's what I'm worried about right now.'

The leaders of the establishment have asked questions about the two chief ministers. They will call Sher Bahadur Deuba as the future prime minister in party meetings and public forums until August 19, 20, but after August 23, 24, they will try to remove him before he returns from the hospital saying that this leadership is not work? The general ministers who are in charge of organizing the party convention will not prepare for the convention and will sign to call the special convention themselves? Will the President, who was injured in a deadly attack, be insensitive by talking about a special convention before returning from his hospital bed? After the new political developments, will the party be unified and the morale of the workers across the country should be raised? Such questions are being showered on Thapa and Sharma. However, giving a common answer to all these questions, Thapa says, 'Nepal before August 23 and 24 and Nepal after are not the same. It is not the situation after August 23 and 24 that it will continue as it was yesterday. It does not work like that anymore, it is not allowed to work. We have asked the chairman to do these things. Not being insensitive. But one thing is for sure, to convince as much as possible, to deceive. If you don't agree, if you don't go back, you won't raise your hand based on that, you will move forward. We have no other way than that.'

Professor Khanal says that the two general ministers of the Congress will remember how the Congress removed Matrikaprasad Koirala in 2008. 'Bahalwala Prime Minister, Party President, Hero of Movement and Revolution, India and Nehru's closeness in it. If, however, the Congress moves forward by leaving Matrika aside, this history will be enough for the two Chief Ministers to remember,' says Khanal, 'Deuba should be thrown out as you are no longer the party president. There is an option to give a caretaker until the convention. If you don't accept that too, the Genji Movement should throw away the power of the two parties.'

Another analyst, Wag, says it would be appropriate to resign immediately, taking moral responsibility for the failure. He believes that the special convention that will be held now will elect a leader with a popular, visionary and clean image that is trusted by the young generation as well. "The special convention that is being called now is not only about new leadership, it is also about fundamentally reorganizing the party in a changed environment and adopting new principles, ideas and policies according to the aspirations of the people," he said. He said that Gagan and Bishwa had a feeling that they were moving in the direction of forming a party even after taking political risks.

Especially Mahamantri Thapa's politics is now in a decisive mode. Amidst the siege and pressure, the question has become whether he will push the party to a new path or choose an alternative path. Will his proposals for party reform succeed in reorienting the organization or, failing that, push him into new political experiments? Analyst Khanal says, 'Any risk should be taken to preserve the party's relevance. If Deuba does not agree, he should be removed at the risk. When the strength is reached, the majority will remove it, if not, it should be removed in the same way as the power of the two parties was removed from the Genji movement.'

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