KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa has pledged to unify the party and restore the trust of the public. Speaking at a program organized by the Girija Prasad Koirala Foundation, Thapa stated that the party’s 15th general convention will proceed as scheduled.
Thapa confirmed that the ward-level conventions will be held on Sept. 19 and 20, while the central general convention is set for Oct. 2 to 5. “We must be lenient in unifying the party, but ruthless in cleaning up the internal mess,” he said. He added that party representatives will visit all 77 districts following the convention and upcoming festivals.
Reflecting on the legacy of former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Thapa described the 1991-1994 period as the “golden era” of Nepal’s economic development. He credited the liberal economic policies of that time for significant progress in hydropower, telecommunications, banking, education, and health sectors.
During the event, outgoing foundation president Sujata Koirala handed over leadership to former lawmaker and social activist Dr. Sunil Sharma, who served as president for 16 years. Dr. Sharma announced that the foundation would provide free surgeries for 1,000 financially disadvantaged patients over the next year. The foundation also honored Somnath Ghimire, president of its US branch, and research director Dr. Tara Banjade for their contributions.
