Kathmandu, January 8

In line with their plan to come up with an extensive roadmap for the party’s revival after the crushing defeat in the recently-held parliamentary and provincial elections, youth leaders of the Nepali Congress today held a meeting with noted intellectuals of the country for their inputs.

During the meeting, the intellectuals identified internal organisational problems, factionalism, ineffective sister organisations, central leaders sans responsibility, nepotism and favouritism as some of the party’s weaknesses. They said the leaders had focused only on their constituencies and such tendency should be immediately addressed for its revival, according to NC leader Guru Ghimire who attended the meeting.

The intellectuals also said that youth leaders were no different and they too were guided by opportunistic attitude. “The intellectuals suggested that the youth leaders focus more on the development of the party and the nation rather than personal gains,” said Ghimire.

The meeting was attended by around 60 intellectuals, including Jiva Raj Pokhrel, Shri Krishna Aniradh Gautam, Hirendra Man Paudel, Yagya Adhikari, Puranjan Acharya, and Gopal Pandey. The NC leaders present in the meeting were Chandra Bhandari, Dhan Raj Gurung, Jivan Pariyar, Gagan Thapa, Pradip Paudel, and Umesh Rayamajhi.

Ghimire said they would continue to hold such meetings until they came up with a roadmap on how to make NC a modern political force.