They say, ”The party workers who continuously contribute to the party are not appreciated, nepotism and favoritism are more prevalent.”
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Bhrikuti Mandap is currently bustling with the excitement of the special general convention of the Nepali Congress.
In the crowd filled with speeches, slogans and bags, some faces stand out from the others. In the crowd of women representatives carrying struggle, hope and desire for change, Mugu's Nani Khatri stands with her two-year-old son on her back.
She has a Congress convention bag in her hand, a representative's identity card around her neck. The son is sleeping, while Nani sometimes looks at the child, sometimes chats with fellow workers.
Nani, who arrived in Kathmandu from the remote district of Mugu carrying the child, has a clear purpose - to choose a new Congress leadership. She has been active in Congress politics for about 10 years and has already been a general convention representative. She says that after being defeated for the post of women member in Khatyad Rural Municipality in the 2074 BS local level election, she got the courage to move forward in politics. 'I was sad after losing the election, but it inspired me to move forward even further.' I entered politics to represent the poor and suffering of remote districts,' she said.
Nani's life is full of struggle. In a remote district like Mugu, it is difficult to eat and dress well. She said, 'If I eat, there is no fodder, if I dress, there is no straw. I worry about what to eat in the morning and what to eat in the evening.'
Now she needs a leadership that understands her pain. Nani's husband, a mother of four, is carrying a heavy burden in India for employment. She is sad that if there was employment in the country, he would not have had to go abroad. She admits that politics has not been able to alleviate her suffering so far. That is why this time she is more hopeful about the new leadership than the old one. 'The old one could not change, why should we choose the old one now?' she asked.
Two women representatives from Mugu have participated in the general convention. Another representative who came with her daughter is Suryadevi Malla.
Suryadevi of Chhayanath Rara Municipality started her political journey with the Nepal Students' Union in 2048 BS. She has also served in various positions at the Women's Union and the district level and has also become a member of the Land Commission.
She said that it would cost around 50,000 to travel from Mugu to Kathmandu and she ignored that and participated in the leadership selection. She said, 'The issue of generational transfer should not be ignored. We have come here at our own expense to take forward the new leadership.'
She feels that the older generation has not failed to work. But she has a complaint about the increase in nepotism and favoritism. She said, 'Activists who continuously contribute to the party are not appreciated, nepotism and favoritism are more prevalent.'
Suryadevi, who came into politics by breaking social barriers, has seen firsthand the challenges that women face in politics. She demands that the new leadership should not only provide proportional representation but also direct representation to women from remote and backward areas.
Maili Danuwar of Panchkhal Municipality in Kavrepalanchok is also a special general convention representative.
She has been active in politics continuously since 2049 BS, but this time she could not be recommended even though she was on the proportional representation list. She said that she did not have the opportunity to represent minorities and backward classes, so she did not reach her reach in the party. She said, ‘The backward classes should be promoted through proportional representation, but only those who can lobby can move forward.’
Kathmandu Constituency No. 4 representative Rita Kumari Budhathoki has become a general convention representative from a Congress unit member to a regional acting president.
She also feels that a new leadership should come in the future, respecting the old leadership. According to her, the presence of women and youth in the 14th General Convention is encouraging, but the number of women at the leadership level is still low. She said, 'It is the responsibility of the leadership now to create an environment where women get opportunities not only in women's inclusion, but also in open competition.'
66-year-old Krishnadevi Yadav, representing Sarlahi Constituency No. 3, has arrived at the General Convention holding her granddaughter's hand.
Interested in politics, she is in favor of youth leadership. She said, 'Those who can fight, stand up, and struggle should now take over the leadership,' she said. In her eyes, leadership is needed that will save the party, not split it. She says that this General Convention should elect a leader who can not only reach the position, but also make good use of the position.
