Nepali Congress Faces Uncertainty in Selecting Parliamentary Leader After Electoral Setback

Kathmandu. The Nepali Congress, which suffered an unexpected defeat in the House of Representatives elections held on Falgun 21, won a total of 38 seats, securing 18 through the first-past-the-post system and 20 through proportional representation. Having dropped from the first party in the 2079 elections by winning 89 seats, the Congress is now set to become the main opposition party in the House of Representatives.

However, with the party president, office bearers, and top leaders all defeated, there is confusion within the Congress regarding who to appoint as the leader of the parliamentary party.

Out of the 38 lawmakers elected through both direct and proportional representation, only 9 are leaders who have previously served in parliament. The Congress's parliamentary party office in Singha Durbar informed Ratopati that 6 winners from the direct election and 3 from the proportional representation system are former parliamentarians. Bijendra Ale, an officer at the party office, stated that only 9 lawmakers are veterans, and all others are new.

The former parliamentarians include Abhishek Pratap Shah, who won from Kapilvastu-3; Janakraj Giri from Bajura; Bharat Bahadur Khadka from Doti; Mohan Acharya from Rasuwa; Yogesh Gauchan Thkali from Mustang; and Tek Bahadur Gurung from Manang, who had previously served in parliament. Furthermore, Bhishma Raj Angdembe, Arjun Narsingh KC, and Dr. Chandramohan Yadav, elected through proportional representation, had also been members of parliament before. The parliamentary party office confirmed that all others are serving as MPs for the first time.

Shah, who won from Kapilvastu-3, is entering parliament for the fifth time. He also won from the same constituency in 2074 representing the Congress. Prior to that, he was elected from the then Madhesi Jan Adhikar Forum in the first Constituent Assembly election of 2064 BS and the second Constituent Assembly election of 2070 BS. Following the success of the 2062/063 People's Movement, he was nominated as a member of the reinstated Interim Legislature representing the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

'This is my fifth journey to parliament,' Shah told Ratopati, 'In 2063, I was nominated to the Interim Legislature representing the RPP. I was elected from the Madhesi Jan Adhikar Forum in 2064 and 2070. I have been elected representing the Nepali Congress in 2074 and now.'

Giri, who won from Bajura, was elected from Bajura in the 2056 House of Representatives election. During that parliamentary term, he also served as the State Minister for Land Reform.

Khadka, who won from Doti, is on his second journey to parliament. He served as a member of parliament in the Second Constituent Assembly of 2070 BS.

Acharya, who won from Rasuwa, has achieved a hat-trick in parliament this time. He has previously been elected as an MP in the 2074 and 2079 elections.

Thakali, who won from Mustang, is on his second parliamentary journey. He also won from the same constituency in the 2079 House of Representatives election.

Gurung, who won from Manang, is on his third parliamentary journey. He was previously elected as a Congress candidate from Manang in 2070 and 2079.

KC, elected through proportional representation, is the most experienced lawmaker in the Congress. He has been serving as an MP and minister since the Panchayat system. KC is also the leader who has contested the most elections in contemporary politics. The 78-year-old KC was elected from the National Panchayat in 2038 BS and became a State Minister. After being defeated in his second National Panchayat election contest in 2043 BS, he became the District Panchayat President in 2045 BS. Returning to the Congress after 2046 BS, KC was elected from Nuwakot in 2048, 2051, 2070, and 2079. KC has served as the Minister for Urban Development (2073), Minister of Education and Minister for Housing and Physical Planning (2055), and Minister of Health and Population (2052).

Angdembe and Dr. Yadav, elected through proportional representation, were elected from the Congress side in the Second Constituent Assembly of 2070 BS.

Who will be the Party Leader now?

The Congress entered the House of Representatives election declaring party President Gagan Thapa as the candidate for Prime Minister. President Thapa was defeated in Sarlahi-4. With not only President Thapa but also all party office bearers and top leaders being defeated, there is confusion over who to appoint as the leader of the parliamentary party.

According to a Congress office bearer, Bharat Bahadur Khadka, Janakraj Giri, Mohan Acharya, and Narendra Kerung, who won the direct elections, are aspiring to be the party leader. Arjun Narsingh KC and Bhishma Raj Angdembe from the proportional representation side are also contenders.

Although there are contenders, no discussions have taken place yet regarding who to appoint as the party leader, informed General Secretary Pradip Paudel. 'Leaders are certainly aspiring for the position. There is a tradition in the Congress to elect the party leader through a procedural process,' General Secretary Paudel told Ratopati. 'The Election Commission finalized things only yesterday (Monday). No preparations have been made yet. Discussions will happen now.'

Among the leaders in parliament from the Congress, KC is the most senior and has served multiple times as an MP and Minister. Angdembe was elected as a joint general secretary in the 14th General Convention of the Congress. Leaders suggest that the competition for the parliamentary party leader might be between these two leaders. In terms of internal factional alignment, KC and Angdembe belong to different factions. KC is also the father-in-law of President Thapa, while Angdembe belongs to the faction of former President Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Congress Lawmakers

Direct Election

1) Md. Firdos Alam - Rautahat - 2

2) Bishnu Bahadur Khadka - Surkhet - 1

3) Abhishek Pratap Shah - Kapilvastu - 3

4) Khadak Bahadur Buda - Jajarkot

5) Sandeep Rana - Palpa - 1

6) Narendra Kumar Kerung - Panchthar

7) Janak Raj Giri - Bajura

8) Bharat Bahadur Khadka - Doti

9) Nishkal Rai - Ilam - 1

10) Prakash Singh Karki - Solukhumbu

11) Basana Thapa - Dailekh - 1

12) Santosh Subba - Tehrathum

13) Bharat Kumar Swar - Achham - 1

14) Mohan Acharya - Rasuwa

15) Jayapati Rokaya - Humla

16) Khadga Shahi - Mugu

17) Yogesh Gauchan Thakali - Mustang

18) Tek Bahadur Gurung - Manang

Proportional Representation

1) Bhishma Raj Angdembe

2) Madan Krishna Shrestha

3) Geeta Kumari Sendang

4) Gangalakshmi Awal

5) Geeta Gurung

6) Renuka Kaucha

7) Arjun Narsingh K.C.

8) Kalibahadur Sahakari

9) Sushila Dhakal Acharya

10) Rukmini Devi Koirala

11) Rina Upreti

12) Sita Thapaliya

13) Pramila Kumari Gachhadar

14) Harina Devi Kami

15) Pabitra B.K.

16) Manmaya B.K.

17) Dr. Chandramohan Yadav

18) Ninukumarai Karna

19) Rekha Kumari Yadav

20) Shahjan Khatun