Newly elected Nepali Congress General Secretary Ajaybabu Shivakoti on Friday vowed to correct the party's past weaknesses and take it forward as a strong and united force, saying the organization would now focus on addressing the shortcomings that have held it back. Speaking at an interview organized by Reporters Club Nepal in Kathmandu, Shivakoti also said the party's 15th general convention had reaffirmed the leadership of Gagan Thapa, a mandate he presented as the foundation for the Congress to move ahead with renewed unity and purpose.
Shivakoti Places Unity and Renewal at the Heart of His Mandate
During the interview in Kathmandu, Shivakoti said his central commitment as general secretary would be to identify and correct the weaknesses that have accumulated within the party and to ensure the organization emerges from the process stronger. His remarks paired an acknowledgment of past failings with a forward-looking promise: the Nepali Congress, he indicated, must function as a "strong and united force" if it is to meet the expectations of its members and supporters.
The newly elected general secretary framed the task ahead in explicitly organizational terms. In his telling, the period following the 15th general convention is not merely a transition between leadership teams but an opportunity for course correction. By pledging to correct past weaknesses, he signaled that the party's internal review will begin with its own performance and cohesion rather than with external circumstances.
Shivakoti's key messages from the interview can be summed up as follows:
- Correcting the weaknesses and shortcomings of the past
- Taking the Nepali Congress forward as a strong and united force
- Building on the reaffirmation of Gagan Thapa's leadership by the 15th general convention
- Ensuring the party works concretely to address its past failings
15th General Convention Reaffirmed Thapa's Leadership, Shivakoti Says
A significant part of Shivakoti's remarks concerned the party's 15th general convention, which he said had reaffirmed Gagan Thapa's leadership of the Nepali Congress. By describing the convention outcome as a reaffirmation, he portrayed the current leadership as one enjoying a renewed and explicit mandate from the party's highest statutory gathering. The interview, organized by Reporters Club Nepal and reported by Khabarhub, captured how the new general secretary chose to frame the party's post-convention direction.
The weight of a convention mandate
General conventions sit at the apex of the Nepali Congress's organizational structure, bringing together delegates from across the country to endorse the party's leadership and set its political and organizational course. The mandates that emerge from such gatherings typically guide the party until the next convention, which is why Shivakoti's reference to the reaffirmation of Thapa's leadership carries particular significance in the party's internal politics.
For Shivakoti, aligning his new tenure with the convention's mandate serves a dual purpose. It anchors his authority as general secretary in the same endorsement that reaffirmed Thapa's leadership, and it projects an image of continuity at the top of the party even as he promises corrective change within its organization.
A Candid Pledge to Address Past Shortcomings
Beyond questions of leadership, Shivakoti was direct about the need for self-assessment. He said the party will now work to address its past shortcomings, an acknowledgment that the Nepali Congress must examine where it has fallen short and take corrective measures. Rather than defending the status quo, the newly elected general secretary used the platform to foreground reform and improvement.
The pledge also offers an indication of the organizational priorities likely to define his tenure. As general secretary, Shivakoti will be among the office bearers responsible for the day-to-day management of the party's organization, and his emphasis on correcting weaknesses suggests that internal strengthening, unity and discipline will be treated as immediate tasks rather than distant goals.
The Road Ahead for the Nepali Congress
Shivakoti's remarks at the Reporters Club Nepal event set out how the newly elected general secretary intends to approach his role: consolidating party unity, building on the mandate of the 15th general convention and committing the organization to a candid reckoning with its past weaknesses.
For the Nepali Congress, one of Nepal's major political parties, the message from its new general secretary was twofold. The party, in his view, has the leadership and mandate it needs in the reaffirmed leadership of Gagan Thapa; what remains is the organizational work of correcting past mistakes and moving forward together.
Whether that commitment translates into renewed organizational strength and unity will become clearer as the party puts its post-convention plans into practice. For now, Shivakoti has staked his tenure on a simple proposition: that the Nepali Congress can become a stronger, more united force by honestly confronting the weaknesses of its past.
