Kathmandu: Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa has said that Nepal’s traditional political parties have suffered because of a culture that treated party leaders as unquestionable figures, referring to the tendency of portraying leaders as “God” or “Ba” (father figures).

Speaking at the inaugural session of the first national convention of the National Independent Party in Bharatpur, Chitwan, Thapa warned that the failure to question party leadership at the right time had contributed to many of the problems facing Nepali politics today.

Congress Paid the Price for Delayed Self-Criticism
Thapa acknowledged that the Nepali Congress was slow to recognize its own weaknesses and hold its leaders accountable. According to him, the party continues to face political consequences because members did not challenge mistakes within the leadership early enough.

He stressed that internal democracy and constructive criticism are essential for the long-term health of any political organization.

Advice to the New Generation
Addressing leaders and cadres of the National Independent Party, Thapa urged them to learn from the shortcomings of older political parties.

“We made a mistake by turning our leaders into gods. We made a mistake by treating them as ‘Ba’. You should not repeat that mistake. When your leaders make mistakes, question them. We were late in asking questions, and we paid the price for it.”

He further noted that political parties should not become organizations where members blindly follow leaders without debate, discussion, or accountability.

Call for Internal Democracy
Thapa encouraged members of the National Independent Party to build a political culture where leaders can be questioned and challenged when necessary. He argued that strong institutions are built through transparency, debate, and accountability rather than personality-based politics.

Best Wishes for the Convention
Concluding his remarks, Thapa wished the National Independent Party success in its first national convention and encouraged the party to make thoughtful and creative decisions while selecting its future policies and leadership.

He expressed hope that emerging political forces would help strengthen democratic practices by avoiding the mistakes that have weakened Nepal’s traditional parties in the past.