KATHMANDU, March 7: Nepali Congress (NC), which entered the House of Representatives (HoR) election under the slogan “We changed the Congress, We will change the country,” failed to win over the electorate despite a generational leadership overhaul.
Established in 1946 by leaders including BP Koirala to end the Rana regime, NC had historically led Nepal through major political transformations—from ending 104 years of Rana rule and defeating the 30-year Panchayat system to restoring democracy in 1990 and 2006.
The party also played a key role in integrating Maoists into mainstream politics, permanently ending the 240-year institution of monarchy and fulfilling the people’s long-standing dream of promulgating a constitution drafted by people’s elected representatives in 2015. Yet, voters remained dissatisfied, citing persistent corruption, poor governance, and slow economic progress. Internal power struggles and personal ambitions within NC further weakened the party’s credibility.
Great Leadership: A Road Less Traveled
In response to mounting public pressure, the 14th General Convention elected a mix of senior and young leaders committed to upholding party rules. Sher Bahadur Deuba was re-elected as president, while younger leaders—including Bishwa Prakash Sharma, Gagan Thapa, Badri Pandey, Kishor Singh Rathore, and Jeevan Pariyar—were elected general secretaries and joint general secretaries. Observers had expected this infusion of youth to rejuvenate the party and restore voter confidence.
However, the elections revealed that structural reforms alone could not sway the electorate. Despite expanding active membership to nearly 900,000, NC saw a sharp decline in votes in 2022 general election, losing 754,000 compared to the previous general election. The party secured just 2,715,225 votes (25.71 percent), down from 32.77 percent in 2017. Even with party leaders acting as election commanders, public support remained elusive.
Internal divisions, weak outreach to youth and urban voters, and the prioritization of personal and factional interests over public service appears to have contributed to NC’ decline. Dissatisfaction, which had manifested during the September 8-9 Gen Z revolt, was reflected in the election results. Traditional supporters and voters gradually withdrew support, leaving NC struggling to regain credibility both domestically and internationally.
As there was mounting pressure within the party for leadership transfer in the aftermath of the Gen Z protest, the NC faction led by Gagan Thapa organized Special General Convention in January and elected new Central Working Committee under Thapa’s leadership.
Despite efforts to modernize the party and attract younger members, NC’ failure to institutionalize its operations or decisively address public concerns resulted in a disappointing electoral performance. Analysts suggest that unless the party can resolve internal conflicts and focus on governance, it may continue to lose ground in future elections.
