Dear comrades of the Nepali Congress, trusted voters, and patriotic brothers and sisters who uphold justice,
Today, Parliament has been dissolved. From this day forward, I am no longer a Member of Parliament.
Throughout my tenure, I have consistently proposed large-scale projects that could be accomplished under a unified appropriation. I have spoken of reviving the Gorkhali identity through tourism promotion, infrastructure development, airbase construction, and the strengthening of our military power. I have declared my firm commitment to constructing north–south highways where 32-wheeled trucks could travel within just three to four hours. I have emphasized road improvements to ensure access for production and industry, the invitation of foreign financial institutions, the facilitation of investment flows, and the eradication of policy-level corruption. The detailed record of these initiatives remains in my archives and, if necessary, I shall make them public again.
It feels like a return to the time of 2007/08 B.S. The reformist BJP leader Pramod Mahajan's plan for disciplined party building had captured my attention. He had instituted a system in which the conduct, earnings, and ancestral property of three generations of every party member were systematically recorded in software, complete with photographs. Inspired, I moved to register a similar proposal at the Congress central office. Yet, despite being formally submitted, this initiative was obstructed by a powerful joint general secretary and a woman leader of that time. My proposal-to study and monitor the property and financial dealings of active leaders, supporters, and aspirants to power, just as Mahajan had envisioned-was summarily closed down.
The Congress must now be restructured. Yet the existing electoral system cannot, on its own, fully rejuvenate the party. Many young people disillusioned with Congress have migrated to emerging parties, but they lack a concrete blueprint for nation-building. I have consistently put forward a clear roadmap for Congress's restructuring. For the upliftment of certain dedicated political workers within the party, I am ready to run shoulder to shoulder with immense dedication, powered by the support of the people. But I must state openly-on the condition that I will not forget-that coalition-building in Parliament solely on the strength of numbers, candidates winning elections through the blessing of new parties alone, and, more recently, unholy and unethical collaborations with rival parties have continually alienated our supporters. This trend must now come to an end. That is my heartfelt wish.
We must also stop calling party supporters "cadres." Factionalism within the party only perpetuates rivalries, which is neither healthy nor sustainable. The party must decisively break away from opportunistic alliances of recent years and instead embrace a new coalition strategy centered exclusively on nation-building. We must restore trust with our allies in ways consistent with our traditions, culture, and civilization. We must rise again, but unity alone will make that possible. The Congress must be capable of strengthening the overall defense of the nation. Otherwise, without restructuring, every effort to uplift the country will remain only on paper.
The movement began on September 9. A day earlier, it was already foreseeable, which is why I announced my resignation from Parliament on the evening of September 8. In taking this step, I was the only Member of Parliament from the ruling coalition to do so-no one else had dared. Later, on September 9, RPP and RSP issued statements demanding that Parliament remain intact.
On September 9, despite my public support for the youth and my firm conviction that innocents must not be harmed, my hotel was vandalized. The police had already informed me that my name was not specifically targeted. Yet, given my hotel's proximity to the Prime Minister's residence and the escalating unrest, certain sadistic and vengeful elements spread messages on social media urging protestors to set fire to my property. At around 3 p.m., arson was carried out. Part of the property caught fire. Though the damage was significant, I have assumed responsibility and devised a plan for its reconstruction, striving to ensure the continuity of my projects to the greatest extent possible.
Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has now been entrusted with the office of Prime Minister, and Parliament has been dissolved. Whether my resignation inspires others in public life to strengthen their resolve, I cannot say. But I remain steadfast in my lifelong commitment to serve my country and contribute to it in every way possible. I recall how nation-builder Prithvi Narayan Shah ensured self-reliance in weaponry, and how Jung Bahadur Kunwar mobilized 14,000 soldiers at once, fully equipped with arms and winter gear, to safeguard the nation. Today, the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force must likewise unite to form a "Reconstruction Battalion." If the reconstruction of Nepali homes and offices can be carried out using our own raw materials, then our wealth will remain within the nation. I urge all reform-minded citizens and leaders to embrace this vision.
As a result of the Gen Z uprising, the supreme representative institution of the people-Parliament-has been dissolved. At its core lie the demands for anti-corruption, investigative commissions, and the establishment of good governance. Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has been appointed as the interim Prime Minister. Her leadership must now resolve the people's democratic concerns and carry out the responsibilities essential for the nation's comprehensive development.
Post-destruction reconstruction and the guarantee of the rule of law are now our non-negotiable conditions. Let me declare clearly: there shall be no compromise on democracy.
I extend my best wishes for success to Nepal's first woman Prime Minister, Sushila Karki, as she embarks upon her historic tenure.
Jai Nepal!
Patriot,
Rajendra Bajgain
