KATHMANDU, Sept 19: Former vice-president of the Nepali Congress Purna Bahadur Khadka has advised party President Gagan Thapa to suspend the 15th general convention for the time being and initiate dialogue with senior leaders, including former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Khadka made the suggestion to Thapa in a social media post. He urged Thapa to suspend the proposed 15th general convention, which is scheduled to begin on September 19, and initiate efforts to preserve party unity. Stating that unity within the party is still possible, he said Thapa himself should take the initiative to hold talks with Deuba and other senior leaders.
“Postpone the schedule of the 15th general convention announced to begin from September 19 for some time,” Khadka wrote, adding, “Immediately initiate talks and dialogue on your own initiative with respected top leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, the party president elected by the 14th general convention, and other senior leaders. I am confident that complete unity of the party is still possible.”
He also urged Thapa to undertake serious self-reflection, claiming that if Thapa had made his decision following their dialogue on April 21, conditions could have been created to unite the entire Congress by the first week of May.
Khadka said Thapa would face no legal or constitutional obstacle to initiating efforts for unity because of laws, court decisions or the party statute, and urged him to take a decisive step immediately.
“Take an immediate, decisive and courageous step and become the president of a united Nepali Congress,” Khadka said.
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Khadka’s suggestion:
My special appeal and suggestion to Gagan Thapa, president of the Nepali Congress elected by the special general convention!
If you had taken the decision you reached today immediately after the dialogue between us on April 21, and had done so within that month, the entire Nepali Congress would have stood united under your leadership at the party’s central office in Sanepa by the first week of May. How much enthusiasm, encouragement and energy for building the party would have been generated among Nepali Congress leaders, members and well-wishers not only across the country but also around the world?
Undertake serious self-reflection and think it over once again!
Time is powerful. Make a firm resolve once again.
1. Suspend the schedule of the 15th general convention announced to begin from September 19 and postpone it for some time!
2. On the strong foundation of the decision you made in the party today, immediately initiate talks and dialogue on your own initiative with respected top leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, the president elected by the party’s 14th general convention, and other senior leaders. I am confident that complete unity of the party is still possible!
Otherwise, if the two separate conventions are not stopped, no one will be able to prevent the division of the Nepali Congress.
My inner conscience tells me that within a few months of the division of the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML, the Nepali Communist Party and other parties, particularly those that played important roles in drafting the Constitution, will also split or be made to split.
As a result, past developments, signs and various kinds of maneuvering are indicating something. My inner conscience tells me that the country will witness, or be made to witness, an unimaginable battlefield of ethnic, regional and religious conflict, and that Nepal appears to be heading toward a strong possibility of becoming trapped in a vicious cycle of fierce conflict that would even make us forget Bhadra 2 (September 9).
What will happen then to the nationality, territorial integrity, sovereignty and self-respect of our beloved country??????
Therefore, Gaganji, I say with confidence that neither the law, court decisions nor the party statute will create any problem or difficulty for you. Do not worry!
Conducting a deep review of the advice and suggestions you have received and the developments of the past as profound lessons, take an immediate, decisive and courageous step, and become the president of a united Nepali Congress!
For this noble cause, I am ready to make any sacrifice, free of any ambition, and ready to provide sincere support.
