Political parties and international organisations have sent messages of congratulations and goodwill to the Nepali Congress on the occasion of its 15th General Convention, expressing solidarity with Nepal over recent floods and calling for stronger political and regional cooperation.

The India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and opposition Indian National Congress have separately sent congratulatory messages to the Nepali Congress for its convention, which kicked off in Kathmandu on Sunday.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who is also acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, sent a message to Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa.

BJP president Nitin Nabin congratulated Thapa and the Nepali Congress on the organisation of the convention. In a letter dated September 26, Nabin thanked Thapa for inviting him to the inaugural session and extended his wishes to the party’s leadership and members.

Nabin said he was confident the convention would further strengthen the Nepali Congress and contribute to Nepal’s democratic journey.

Referring to Nepal’s recent natural disasters, he expressed solidarity with those affected and said India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “stands firmly with Nepal” and remains committed to supporting relief and rehabilitation efforts.

“The BJP values its longstanding engagement with the Nepali Congress and looks forward to further strengthening our party-to-party ties,” Nabin wrote.

Indian National Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the convention was an important occasion to deliberate on democratic values, civil liberties and social justice associated with the party’s founder, the late BP Koirala, as well as on strengthening democratic institutions.

“The Indian National Congress and the Nepali Congress share a long and close history of mutual understanding, solidarity and cooperation in the cause of democracy,” Kharge said in his message. “I greatly value these ties and the enduring relationship between our two parties and our two countries.”

Kharge said he had sent Vivek Tankha to represent him at the convention. He said personal commitments had prevented him from attending in person and expressed hope that relations between the two Congress parties would grow stronger.

In his message, Rahman said he valued the longstanding friendship between the BNP and the Nepali Congress and stressed the importance Bangladesh attaches to its relations with Nepal and people-to-people ties.

Rahman referred to his father, the late President Ziaur Rahman, and his role in promoting closer relations and cooperation among South Asian countries, which contributed to the establishment of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

“As the seat of the SAARC Secretariat, Nepal remains an important member of SAARC,” Rahman said, referring to the regional organisation’s role in bringing together South Asian leaders. He also recalled his mother, the late Begum Khaleda Zia, and former Nepali prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who represented their countries at SAARC meetings, and said he wanted to carry forward that legacy.

The International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China also sent a congratulatory message to the convention.

The department described the Nepali Congress as an important political force in Nepal that has long sought a development path suited to the country’s national conditions, promoted economic development and worked to improve people’s livelihoods.

“We look forward to your party making even greater contributions to achieving national development and the well-being of the people of Nepal,” it said.

It also said the Communist Party of China had maintained friendly exchanges with the Nepali Congress and expressed willingness to deepen party-to-party exchanges and cooperation.

Socialist International President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón conveyed solidarity with the Nepali people over the recent floods, describing the disaster as a global wake-up call on the consequences of climate change.

He said the Congress convention offered an opportunity to strengthen democratic and progressive forces in Nepal and expressed his desire to further expand cooperation with the party. Chantal Kambiwa, the organisation’s executive coordinator, has arrived in Kathmandu carrying Sánchez’s message.

The UK Labour Party also sent greetings to Thapa, the party leadership, delegates and members attending the convention. It said the two parties shared values including democracy, freedom, equality, social justice, inclusion and respect for the rule of law.

The Labour Party also acknowledged the Nepali Congress’s contribution to Nepal’s democratic history and said relations between the two parties should continue to grow through greater dialogue and cooperation.

International Conference of Asian Political Parties Standing Committee Chairman Chung Eui-yong also congratulated the Nepali Congress and expressed condolences over deaths and damage caused by the recent floods.

Chung said the disaster, aggravated by glacier melting and climate change, underscored the need for stronger regional and international cooperation on climate change and natural disasters.

He described the Nepali Congress as a founding member and longstanding partner of ICAPP and invited its leaders and representatives to attend the organisation’s 13th General Assembly, scheduled to be held in Seoul in early November.