A section of Nepali Congress youth leaders has raised the pitch to revamp the party as the Mahasamiti meeting draws closer.

The top leadership has failed to give the party a new lease of life, the group concluded at their luncheon meeting held here on Wednesday.

The group plans a new strategy to propel the party. To this end it will present a key political document to the Mahasamiti and the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Saturday.

All 27 members of the CWC will meet in Kathmandu on Friday and plan the strategy that will be included in the new party charter. Along with the new political and economic documents it, Vice President Bimalendra Nidhi and Joint Secretary General Prakash Sharan Mahat will present it to the Mahasamiti.

NC youth leaders are keen to include their views in the party’s political and economic policy documents. A team led by party Secretary General Purna Bahadur Khadka will write the new party charter as per the federal set up.

At the meeting on Wednesday, the group unanimously said the party’s current leaders have failed to lead the party in the changed political context. They pointed out to the party’s dismal performance, failure to voice citizen’s grievances, factionalism and failure to give new vision and hope to the people on the party’s future course.  

Distancing itself from NC factions, the group claimed it would revamp the party structure, bring on board party’s youth members across the nation under their banner and rally against the federal government’s poor performance.

Prominent youth leader Gagan Thapa, who is leading the strategic revival, said the party should strongly assert against some minority views like restoration of Hindu state, opinions against federalism, liberalism and regressive voices.

“If the political document fails to denounce such views made by some party leaders, we will move a separate proposal at the Mahasamiti meeting,” said Thapa.

Some NC leaders, including Secretary General Shashank Koirala, have stridently supported restoring Hindu state in Nepal.

Youth NC leaders oppose this, saying it is against the constitution and NC’s own past resolutions. Youth leaders also insist senior party leaders above age 70 should retire and make way for new generation to lead the party.  

It is not an alternative view, rather we want a new congress. We want to transform the party, said Thapa.

This demand is unlikely to move ahead due to strong pressure from President Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is 68, and another senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel, pushing 70, but still vying for top party post at 14th general convention that will be held after three years.

The youth leaders will also push senior leaders to resolve the row within Nepal Students Union. It is deeply embroiled in factional division of the party.

NC currently has several factions-led by President Deuba, senior leaders Ram Chandra Poudel and Krishna Prasad Situala. Recently, leaders from the Koirala clan- Secretary General Shanka, Shekhar and Sujata- also spoke their minds on party matters.

As youth leaders, our first duty will be ending factionalism and unifying the party, said youth leader Ram Hari Khatiwada. Only unity can bring dynamism and new vigor into the party.

Another youth leader, Badri Pandey said, “The party is facing challenges. The internal rifts are widening and ideology is suffering, so we have decided to come together to face these mounting challenges.”