KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress is celebrating the 43rd National Unity and Reconciliation Day across the country with various programmes today.

The day, Poush 16, of the Nepali calendar marks the return of the first democratically elected Prime Minister BP Koirala and other NC leaders like Ganesh Man Singh, Shailaja Acharya and Khum Bahadur Khadka from their exile in India with a proposal of reconciliation with the then king Birendra in order to establish and safeguard sovereignty of the country.

The NC's Mahasamiti meeting that was held from December 14 to 29 in the capital decided to observe the Day.

As part of the occasion, various programmes like mass gathering and seminars will be organised across the country, party spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma told Rastriya Samachar Samiti, adding that the NC has also deployed its central representatives in all 77 districts to this effect.