Kathmandu, March 3

Acting President of Nepali Congress Ramchandra Paudel today expressed concern about the increasing tendency among people to hate politicians due to the anomalies in the country’s politics.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 13th National General Convention of Nepali Congress here today, Paudel said sometimes he felt like committing suicide.

Also, a major contender of the party’s presidency, Paudel said politicians should review themselves and their actions and increase people’s confidence.

He said politicians should begin change from themselves as politics was not a business but a social service.

Paudel further said his party was ready to address the demands of Madhes-based parties, including reviewing the boundaries of federal units so that the nation could take the path of prosperity.

Senior leader and contender of party President Sher Bahadur Deuba said the challenges of the country could only be addressed by Nepali Congress and therefore NC needed to have a strong leadership. He said the country and the party would be made fully inclusive.

Addressing the same function Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal told Indian leaders that Nepali leaders were for strengthening friendship with them.

“I would like to send a message to Indian leaders via Koshyariji that Nepali leaders are for strengthening ties with them,” Dahal said asking what had Nepal done for which Nepali people had to face blockade.

Dahal urged NC leaders to lead the peace process that began from the 12-point agreement to a decisive conclusion.

Dahal lauded the role of B P Koirala, Girija Prasad Koirala and Sushil Koirala who took the risk for the sake of change in Nepal. He further wished that the NC General Convention that kicked off here today would elect a daring leader who could take risks for the better future of Nepal.

Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli wished that the NC general convention would elect a leadership that could stand firm on their promise.

Oli was hinting at the incident in which NC and UML accused each other of having failed to keep its promise to support the second largest party as soon as the new constitution was promulgated.

Claiming that NC’s role was crucial for securing and institutionalising democracy in Nepal, Oli said UML was always ready to work together with all the forces to ensure national interest.

NC General Secretary Prakash Man Singh said implementation of the new constitution would be a true tribute to late Sushil Koirala.

He said this is the age of delivery and therefore proverbs and exploiting the names of the party’s legendary leaders alone wouldn’t work.

General Secretary Krishna Sitaula lauded the role of Sushil Koirala in promulgating the new constitution. He said there should be newness in party policy, working style and leadership.

Leader of CPI Marxist Jogendra Sharma said all Indian people were with the woes faced by Nepali people due to the economic blockade of India.

He said his party took strong exception in the Indian parliament to ensure unhindered flow of essentials to Nepal and proposed to send an all-party delegation of parliamentarians to the Indo-Nepal border, besides opening other entry points if one was blocked.

Sharma said the Tarai-based parties would resolve the issues through dialogue. He also said his party won’t believe in big and small brothers in Nepal-India bilateral relationship.

Vijay Pratap of Loktantrik Samajwadi Party said Nepal should become the bridge between the China and India to uplift the living standard of its people.

General Secretary of Indian National Congress B K Hari Prasad said he has greetings from both the President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-president Rahul Gandhi to the National General Convention of Nepali Congress.

Leader of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party Bhagat Singh Koshyari said misunderstandings on petty issues would end soon and the parties of Nepal and India would have to work together to develop Nepal.

Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar said there should not be misunderstandings that Nepal is capable enough to take the country’s decision and the relationship between the two countries would never be interrupted.

He said he believes that the problems would be resolved through dialogue.

General Secretary of Socialist International Luis Ayala; Information Minister of Bangladesh Hasanul Haq Inu; former Prime Minister and Chairman of RPP Lokendra Bahadur Chand, NC treasurer Chitra Lekha Yadav, General Secretary of CPN-ML and Deputy PM C P Mainali, Chairman of Rastriya Janamorcha and Deputy PM Chitra Bahadur KC and Chairman of MJF-Democratic and Deputy PM Bijay Gachhadar also wished for the success of the NC General Convention, among others.