Nepali Congress Koshi Province Leadership Race Intensifies

Biratnagar. The upcoming 15th General Convention of the Nepali Congress is underway. After the central general convention to be held on the 16th of Ashoj, the provincial general convention will be held. Although the date of the provincial general convention has not been finalized, a tug-of-war has already begun among leaders to seize the leadership of Koshi Province. Currently, Morang President and former Federal Minister Dik Bahadur Limbu, Provincial Vice-President and National Assembly Parliamentary Party Leader Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi, Congress Koshi Province General Secretary Umesh Thapa, and Joint Secretary Khadga Phago have staked their claims for the provincial committee's upcoming convention for the post of president. All three leaders have made it clear that they will file their candidacies for the post of provincial president, presenting their respective agendas and past contributions. Morang Congress District President and former minister Dik Bahadur Limbu said that since he has already completed his responsibilities at the district level, he has come forward to take the leadership of the province. He stated that his main agenda is to strengthen the organization up to the ward and local levels by incorporating the aspirations of the youth and new generation in the party. 'Now that friends will no longer be able to become district presidents at various levels, I have said that my place to go is the province. Given that it matches the geography, first of all, we will conduct an organizational strengthening campaign here,' he said. He pointed out the need for the party to address the contemporary political issues of Koshi Province and said that he would fulfill that responsibility. 'Currently, the issues of inclusion and identity are very prominent in this Koshi Province. That issue has not subsided. I want to work in a way that these issues can also be addressed,' Limbu said. 'We have not been able to take the organization to the level it should be. By strengthening it a bit more with the help of other friends and by being able to provide strength for the upcoming elections from now on, I have presented my candidacy.' He emphasized the need to deliver the policies and programs set by the center to the grassroots level, stating that the party is unable to communicate these to the public. 'If the policies and programs passed by the center are not delivered to the grassroots, the public will not know. They will not know what the policy of the Nepali Congress is, what the campaign is. Therefore, delivering the policies and programs passed by the center to the grassroots will be my priority,' Limbu said. 'The Nepali Congress has also made the party inclusive – it is the party of workers, the party of laborers, conflict victims, martyrs, independent fighters, Dalits, Muslims, Madhesis, indigenous nationalities, Khas-Arya, all clusters have been separated, ensuring the participation of all classes and regions. Recently, arrangements have been made for 'Gen-Z' group people to be equally responsible and participate and reach the central committee. I have proposed my candidacy because I can deliver these things from the documents to the grassroots and work,' he said. Current Provincial General Secretary Umesh Thapa stated that he has a natural claim to the post of president based on the successful role he has played as general secretary for the past four and a half to five years. Recalling the organizational and physical progress made during his tenure, General Secretary Thapa said that this is why he should be the president. 'I have been working as a general secretary for four and a half to five years. When this committee was being formed for the first time as a provincial working committee, we bought our own land and built a building. Then we expanded the organization across the province. We have succeeded in making the Nepali Congress the second largest party in the province,' Thapa said. 'This committee has succeeded in making the Nepali Congress the first party at the local level. Therefore, as the general secretary, while working, my candidacy is to further expand the organization in the province and make the Nepali Congress number one in the province.' He pointed out the need to include the youth in the party. 'To create a new Congress, youth must come to talk about the current three-tier government, and for that too, I have prepared myself,' Thapa said. Khadga Phago, Joint Secretary of Nepali Congress Koshi Province and former mayor of Urlabari Municipality, said that he had announced his intention to contest for provincial president long ago. 'I had already said that I would contest for provincial president. We had already said that,' he said. 'We thought that people who have become federal ministers could work at higher levels, but brother (Dik Bahadur Limbu)'s wish is fine.' Similarly, leaders said that Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi, former parliamentary party leader of the National Assembly, has also shown strong interest in the post of provincial president. He has intensified internal consultations with leaders and cadres of the province. As the ward and local level conventions are being completed one after another, the tug-of-war for leadership within Koshi Congress has heated up. Aspiring leaders have intensified cadre meetings and lobbying to create an atmosphere in their favor. Representatives from Koshi Province include 50 people from one electoral constituency. There are 34 Mahasamiti and General Convention representatives, and including Palika presidents, there are 93-94 people in one electoral constituency. There are 28 electoral constituencies in Koshi. Therefore, it is estimated that there will be approximately 2700 representatives in the provincial general convention. The Congress has stated that central committee members from the province will also be added to this. It has been stated that the provincial election will only be held after the central general convention. They say it could happen in Kartik, Mangsir, or Poush. However, leaders say that if local elections are held in Falgun, the provincial elections may be further postponed or held sooner.