Kathmandu: Nepali Congress Central Member Ajaybabu Shiwakoti has launched a strong critique of fellow leader Mohan Basnet, likening his recent conduct to that of Rabi Lamichhane, and urging him to resign in the name of party integrity and internal reform.

In a fiery speech during Thursday’s Central Working Committee meeting, Shiwakoti said that when Congress leaders are accused of corruption and are summoned to the court or investigative bodies, the grassroots workers and voters are humiliated, especially those who continue to uphold the party’s image .

Criticizing Basnet’s aggressive tone from Wednesday's meeting, Shiwakoti questioned whether the party was turning into a "battlefield of muscle power" and condemned the verbal attacks directed at General Secretary Gagan Thapa. He compared the incident to Draupadi’s humiliation in the Mahabharata, saying, "That meeting should be erased from party records."

Shiwakoti further stated that if Basnet has actual evidence against General Secretary Thapa, he should submit it to legal authorities instead of making dramatic statements. “If Thapa is guilty, let justice take its course. If not, stop the intimidation politics,” he said.

In a sharp comparison, Shiwakoti said Basnet acted like a ‘photocopy’ of Lamichhane, referring to the controversial Rastriya Swatantra Party leader currently in custody over cooperative fraud charges. “If Basnet has become another Lamichhane, waving files and threatening reputations, this is not the kind of Congress we want,” he added.

He warned that no leader has the right to tarnish the party’s image and called on President Sher Bahadur Deuba to act against ‘gangsterism’ inside the party.

Finally, Shiwakoti urged Basnet to step aside from party responsibilities until allegations against him are cleared, stating that doing so would serve the greater good and help rebuild trust in the party.