Nepali Congress Leader Urges Votes for Gagan Thapa as Prime Ministerial Candidate, Challenges Rivals to Public Debate

Nepali Congress Joint General Secretary and candidate for Lalitpur Constituency No. 1, Uday Shamsher Rana, announced that the Congress party is putting forward Gagan Thapa as its candidate for Prime Minister in the upcoming elections and urged party workers to campaign for him. Addressing a gathering of senior party workers in Lalitpur, Rana stated that this election is not just for Jitendra Shrestha or Uday Shamsher, but an election to make Gagan Thapa the Prime Minister and bring change to the country. Mentioning that Congress is moving forward by declaring Gagan Thapa as the Prime Ministerial candidate, he requested votes by saying the next government will be Gagan's government. Joint General Secretary Rana emphasized the need for a national debate among the Prime Ministerial candidates. He challenged other leaders to come to a public space (Tundikhel), rather than remaining confined to Facebook and Twitter walls, to debate on issues of party policy, economy, foreign affairs, agriculture, tourism, and water resources. Rana targeted the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), claiming they are not new faces but old ones. He pointed out that RSP has been in government twice and their chairman has served as Home Minister twice. His question was, how are they new? He asserted that controversial leadership cannot bring change, referencing the legal cases against RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane. He said, 'Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said he is ready for a national debate, but why are the current young candidates not accepting this? The country cannot be run only through Facebook; they must come closer to the people and present their policies.' Claiming that the Nepali Congress has changed itself after the 'Gen-Z' movement, Rana discussed internal democracy and leadership change within the party. He stated that Congress is now not only the oldest but also the newest and most innovative party. – News Agency Nepal