Newly elected Bibeksheel Sajha Party Chair Samiksha Baskota has stated that the party will be revived from the current comatose state now that there are no ideological differences following disowning of 'Nation Above Notion' proposed by the then party chief Rabindra Mishra.
Mishra had proposed abolition of federalism and demanded a plebiscite on secularism and called secularism and federalism imported agenda that were installed more due to foreign interference than internal politics.
Mishra, who had resigned as party chief following humiliating loss in the local election last May, joined RPP before the federal election in November.
Baskota, who took over as caretaker party chief following Mishra’s resignation, has been unanimously elected Bibeksheel Sajha chair by the recently completed general convention. In a video interview with Setopati, she has conceded that the party was comatose and on a ventilator due to internal bickering over ‘Nation Above Notion' but stressed that it will revive now.
“We all are ideologically together after revoking 'Nation Above Notion',” she stressed. “There are hardly any ideological differences after we came together saying we should work on the agenda of good governance, anti-corruption and delivery with the founding spirit of changing state of the country not system.”
She has pointed that her closeness to Mishra in the past was only to strengthen the party and ruled out any chance of merger with RPP stating that her agenda is different to that of RPP, and she parted ways with Mishra the day he joined RPP.
She has reiterated that the party accepts the Constitution and will indulge in solution-oriented politics by accepting secularism and republicanism. She has, however, added that the party has yet to discuss about federalism. “We should move forward accepting that (federalism) now as we said that we accept the Constitution yesterday. But we should focus on how to address the weaknesses there and strengthen the power of the state.”
She has claimed that Rastriya Swatantra Party founded by Rabi Lamichhane rose on the foundation of alternative politics created by Bibeksheel Sajha even as the latter performed poorly in the elections due to the internal bickering inside the party.
“The votes that Rastriya Swatantra Party got were that of Bibeksheel Sajha. I feel that is Bibeksheel Sajha’s foundation. RPP is a conservative party. Such parties are in existence in every country. It may has its own votes. But the votes that Rastriya Swatantra Party got, the way the citizens revolutionized voting, the votes of Bibeksheel Sajha and parties doing alternative politics lie there.”
She has opined that the people will closely watch the new parties and observe whether they adhere to their tall claims of integrity when they are in power, and whether they resort to individual-oriented politics or focus on the people’s agendas.
She has added that the party under her leadership will now focus on the four pillars of technology, agriculture, hydropower and tourism for sustainable economy. “We know that hundreds of thousands of citizens have gone abroad. More than 1,800 Nepalis go abroad every day. We should bring them back to Nepal.”
