Nepali Congress Leaders Address Rally in Surkhet Amidst Absence of Key Figure Purna Bahadur Khadka

The Nepali Congress's election rally focused on the House of Representatives elections scheduled for Falgun 21 is taking place in Surkhet on Thursday afternoon. Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa and Pushpa Bhusal are scheduled to address the rally being held at Ghantaghar in the provincial capital, Birendranagar. However, former acting president of the Congress, Purna Bahadur Khadka, will not be present at the rally.

A provincial-level leader mentioned that Khadka's presence at almost every election rally previously energized the cadres. "He is the guardian of Karnali; it is natural to feel some void in his absence," the leader told Ratopati. "Previous elections were held under his leadership, and election campaigns were successful according to his plans."

This time, the provincial-level election rally is being organized by the Congress Provincial Committee. Accordingly, the Provincial Election Publicity Committee is also running promotions using graphics. However, another leader close to Khadka stated that there is a slight dip in the enthusiasm compared to previous times. Previously, Khadka's picture was included in the graphics for election rallies; this time it is absent.

Following the CWC agitation on Bhadra 23 and 24, then Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba entrusted Khadka with the responsibility of acting president. Furthermore, Khadka was widely discussed as the future Congress President. According to leaders close to Khadka, Deuba was promoting Khadka as the next president.

If a regular General Convention had taken place, Khadka would have been a major contender for the presidency. Accordingly, the Khadka faction made every effort to stop the special General Convention. The district presidents of 9 out of 10 districts in Karnali even issued a statement opposing the special General Convention.

Most General Convention representatives from Karnali also stood with the Khadka faction, conveying a message of unity behind Khadka's decisions. However, then General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, among others, organized the special General Convention in the last week of Poush.

Gagan Kumar Thapa became the president through that special General Convention. Purna Bahadur Khadka approached the Election Commission regarding the legitimacy, and after the Commission ruled in favor of the special General Convention, Khadka approached the Supreme Court. After the case was sub judice, Khadka decided not to contest the election.

"My claim is that the decision made by the Election Commission regarding the Congress party on Magh 2, which is contrary to the Constitution, the Political Parties Act, and the Congress statute, is illegal, and the committee elected through the illegal special General Convention is automatically illegal," he stated on social media. "In such a situation, being a candidate based on the ticket issued by their decision and signature goes against my lifelong political values and ethical stance."

Therefore, he said he decided not to contest the House of Representatives election this time, despite the love, trust, and faith of party colleagues and the general voters.

He also urged leaders and cadres to move forward in the work of uniting to ensure the victory of candidates contesting with the 'Tree' election symbol among the public. Khadka, who has been contesting elections from Surkhet-1 since 2048 BS, was recommended as a candidate solely by Congress Surkhet. It was also said that he would be the next party president and prime ministerial candidate. A leader mentioned that Khadka was recommended solely to convey that very message.

"By all measures, he was the leader who would become the party's future president and prime minister," says a leader from Surkhet. "But in the middle, another faction forcefully held a special General Convention, and the plans were shattered."

Khadka left the electoral field, but his brother, Bishnu Kumar Khadka, became a candidate from Surkhet-1 with a ticket signed by Gagan Thapa. Vishnu is struggling to win the election in his brother's favor to preserve the legacy. With Khadka withdrawing from the electoral field, candidates from rival parties like UML, CPN, and RPP in that constituency are currently energized.

When Gagan Kumar Thapa, who obstructed Khadka's dream of becoming president, comes to address the election rally in Khadka's home province of Karnali as the president, Congress leaders and cadres are feeling his absence.

At one time, the non-establishment faction held dominance in Karnali. By the 14th General Convention, the establishment, or Deuba faction, became dominant. In the province, Purna Bahadur Khadka led the establishment faction, and Hridayaram Thani led the other faction.

After the dominance of the Khadka faction was established in the 14th General Convention, Khadka addressed election rallies in various places during the 2079 Provincial and House of Representatives elections.

Even now, leaders and cadres close to the Khadka faction are numerous from the district level down to the grassroots in Karnali. But with Khadka staying out of the electoral field this time, leaders and cadres close to him in Karnali are feeling his absence.

There was talk that Khadka would tour the country to ensure the victory of candidates contesting with the 'Tree' symbol, even if he was not a candidate himself. However, he was absent from the election rally in his own home province.

A leader close to Khadka says, "Badda (elder brother) is not currently attending any election rallies; he will probably come to cast his vote." The leader mentioned that Khadka has been calling many leaders and cadres, telling them to be active in their respective areas.

Youth leader Hari Bista of Congress Surkhet said, "When Purna Dai is not in the electoral field, his necessity is certainly felt." According to him, although it is called a provincial-level election rally, candidates from all districts will not be present. Only candidates from Surkhet, Salyan, and Jajarkot will participate.

Some leaders who did not align during the special General Convention are stating that they were not even informed about the election rally.