Constitutional Expert Criticizes Nepali Congress for Forgetting Historical Legacy and Principles

Kathmandu. Constitutional expert Bipin Adhikari has commented that the country's oldest democratic party, the Nepali Congress, is forgetting its historical legacy and fundamental principles.

He emphasized that the Congress should now transform into a party based on clear programs and policies, rather than being person-centric.

Speaking at a program in Kathmandu on Sunday, he cited Singapore's 'People's Action Party' (PAP) as an example, stating that long-term vision, discipline, and pragmatism are necessary for any political party to succeed. Recalling that the Congress was an exceptional and excellent party during BP Koirala's time, Adhikari mentioned that leaders had high political commitment despite limited resources and difficult circumstances at that time.

His argument is that the essence of nationalism, democracy, and socialism espoused by BP is currently being lost. He suggested that the party should operate based on set policies and programs, not on the whims of individuals; democratic practice and discipline within the party should be strengthened before advocating for democracy at the national level; second and third-generation leaders should be prepared for leadership; and the process of reaching leadership should be made transparent.

Speaking at the program, he said, 'The discipline, clean image, and hard struggle of the PAP have worked in building Singapore. In our context, the Congress is seen to be abandoning its ideals and grassroots issues. At one time, agriculture and farmers were priorities in the Congress's agenda. From Subarna Shamsher's budget to BP's policies, there was a clear roadmap to improve the condition of grassroots people. Now, fundamental principles like 'land for the tiller' have been lost, and the party is losing its connection with farmer organizations and rural issues.'

Discussing other democratic parties around the world, he said that one should learn from how the New Zealand Labour Party, the Swedish Social Democratic Party, and various political parties in Germany have maintained their values and discipline while operating within a coalition culture. Constitutional expert Adhikari also raised questions about democracy and leadership transition within the Congress.

Stating that the party's values have been weakening due to power-centric politics, Adhikari suggested that mistakes should be corrected by accepting electoral losses or defeats as part of democratic legitimacy.