Before Sunday morning, there has been a lot of speculation, concern and discussion within the old party Congress regarding the election results from Sarlahi-4. The most talked about issue is why party president Gagan Thapa left the election field of Kathmandu-4 and reached there and who prepared all this background.

Although the special general convention elected a new central working committee including the president on Poush 30, the Election Commission had given its legitimacy only on Magh 4. Magh 6 was the day of candidate nomination. In that rush, President Thapa had neither enough time nor preparation. During that rush, he decided to leave the voters of Kathmandu-4, which he had won three times, and go to Sarlahi-4. Congress leaders have made various comments on social media regarding the president's visit to Sarlahi. Some have said that an investigation should be conducted to find out who took him there. Some have questioned his morality, commenting that the legitimacy and legitimacy of the special general convention has ended.

Thapa, who has emerged as a symbol of change, reform and a new generation since student politics, has established himself as the most active and outspoken leader in the last decade. Whether in parliament or in the party government, he has made an image as a leader who openly criticizes, raises policy debates and puts forward issues of public interest. From the reform efforts he made as the Health Minister to the sharp speeches he gave in parliament, he has established himself as a representative leader of the new generation. That is why many leaders and workers of the Congress have not compared his defeat to the results of one constituency only.

After the 'break' in the continuity of the parliament for 18 years, the question of how the parliament will play the role of the main opposition in his absence has also come up for debate. The results so far indicate that the Congress will almost certainly play the role of the main opposition despite its weak numbers in parliament.

On one hand, an alternative political force without long political and state governance experience is trying to bring results close to two-thirds. On the other hand, not only Gagan Thapa, but many leaders with long experience have been defeated within the Congress, which has a long political legacy and state governance experience. Leader Shekhar Koirala has been defeated. Two young general secretaries Pradeep Poudel and Gururaj Ghimire have also been defeated. Leaders with long experience in parliamentary practice, including Minendra Rijal, Bimalendra Nidhi, and NP Saudal, have also been swept away by the RSVP.

Some in the Congress have said that the absence of Gagan Thapa in Parliament means that an important voice of the debate has become weak. Because in a tradition where parliamentary debate is usually limited to formal and party boundaries, Gagan was the kind of MP who tried to go beyond the party boundaries and speak for the truth. Even when the party was in power, he tried to position it in the opposition role. At times, he praised the government's good work even when he was in the opposition. There are also concerns about the role of the parliament that the Congress will play in his absence.

This defeat has personally dealt a big blow to Thapa, who came to power after breaking the ice that had been frozen within the Congress for years. There are also concerns that the issue of reforms, organizational reconstruction, and a new political agenda within the party will be weakened.

On the other hand, leaders loyal to former President Sher Bahadur Deuba are using this opportunity to raise questions about his morality and see if he can regain his lost credibility within the party. Therefore, efforts are being made to put forward the argument of demanding his resignation by linking the justification for the special general convention and the defeat suffered by the Congress under his leadership with morality.

Thapa is a leader who has not only contested four parliamentary elections but has also been continuously contesting elections through student politics for 32 years. In 2051 BS, he became a member of the Student Union at Trichandra College by getting the most votes. That was the basis of his political journey.

In 2053 BS, he ran for the post of SBU Secretary in Tri-Chandramai and won with the highest number of votes. At that time, there was a competition between the rebels and the official panel of the party. The official panel was led by Rajesh Shahi, while the rebel side was led by Hari Acharya. Thapa became an acceptable candidate for both sides and was elected with a majority of votes.

In 2055 BS, Tshering Tenzing Labrang became the rebel candidate against Thapa, who contested for the post of SBU President. Despite that, Thapa was elected as the President with a majority of votes. Except for when he ran for the post of General Secretary together with Krishna Prasad Sitaula in the 13th General Convention, he had not lost an election since his student life.

Change stance, risk of division: Gagan Thapa in conflict

Thapa, who has been eager to do something since he was the president of the Independent Nepali Congress, has also expressed his commitment to show his commitment as the prime minister. After joining the government, he had studied the work to be done from the first day and moved forward. For that, two years ago, he had studied the weaknesses of state administration through 'Project Government' and prepared a systematic pledge under his own leadership on reforms in the law and changes in the style of work.

Thapa has not said anything publicly about the path he will take after the election defeat. But there are clear two streams within the party on whether he will resign from the leadership on moral grounds. Most leaders are saying that Thapa has no option to revive the Congress from the field of defeat and should not move towards resigning or demanding it.

It is not a matter of the president asking for and giving his resignation. Resigning means running away from responsibility. The president should not resign.-Subash Pokharel Congress leader Sunil Sharma says that when it has to rise from zero, demanding or giving the resignation of the president is not the way to solve the problem. He said, ‘Asking for the resignation of the president is just a momentary emotion. As a leader, he definitely has a moral responsibility. But the root cause of the crisis seen today is the dirty and opportunistic politics that have been going on for decades. It is not politically justified to put the burden of the entire failure on the shoulders of a single person.’

Central Working Committee member Subash Pokharel said that it would be wrong to pressure the party to find an alternative to leadership when it is time to take moral responsibility for the defeat and raise the party from the dust. He said that the president should not resign but move forward with only moral responsibility.

‘There is no other option within the Congress to elevate this party. It is not a matter of the president asking for and giving his resignation. Resigning means running away from responsibility. The president should not resign. But as a leader, he takes moral responsibility for the election defeat.'

Pokharel says that there is no other leader in the Congress who understands power, has the courage and courage, has experience in running the state, understands the geopolitical situation and can debate any issue with logic and facts.

'The situation is becoming more and more difficult for alternative forces to reach two-thirds.' In such a situation, when there is uncertainty about where the country is going, the future of the Congress should not be made even darker by forcing a wise leader to resign,' he added.

Congress leader NP Saud said that the main reason behind the current results was the power alliance between the two big parties before the Gen-G rebellion. Other leaders like him say that the then leadership faced such a situation when it ran the party with the mentality of doing anything for power.

Many leaders of the former establishment party, including Deuba and the then acting president, remained inactive in this election. Deuba did not even go to vote in his hometown of Dadeldhura. The former president of the Nepali Congress contested the election in his constituency this time.