Nepali Congress leader Minendra Rijal, who had filed his candidacy for the post of vice-president under the open category at the party’s 15th general convention, is now ready to withdraw his candidacy after meeting party President Gagan Thapa.
Rijal met President Thapa after registering his candidacy on Tuesday. Rijal later shared details of their conversation on Facebook.
During the meeting, Thapa said that Rijal’s experience and knowledge should be utilized within the party and urged him to work from within the party rather than competing for an office-bearer position.
Thapa said that he wanted to work together with Rijal in his capacity as party president. He said that Rijal’s experience and knowledge were necessary as a “bridge” to connect with the new generation.
"Dai, even as our generation leads the party, I believe your presence in the Nepali Congress should be even more robust, along with your experience and knowledge," Thapa said during the meeting. "At this time, it is also my request that we work together."
Thapa said that space must be created people who can make significant contributions to the party without making it necessary for them to hold an official party position.
Rijal also said that contributing to the Nepali Congress was his priority and that he had not entered the race for the sake of a position. He said that he had decided to support Thapa’s leadership in an effort to rebuild and strengthen the party.
“Given where we have reached today, if it is possible through Gagan Thapa, then it is possible; it is not possible through anyone else,” Rijal told Thapa. “That is why I will support you. Since you yourself have asked me, I did not come here with the intention of contesting for any position.”
He also said that he had no desire to continue seeking a position on the party’s central working committee.
“My journey of seeking a position in the party’s central committee ends here. We will formally go and withdraw the candidacy tomorrow,” he said.
Rijal said that his sole aspiration was to restore the spirit of the Nepali Congress. He said that he would support efforts to move the party forward under Thapa’s leadership.
At the Nepali Congress’s 15th general convention, nine candidates, including Rijal, filed nominations on Tuesday for the two open vice-president positions. The other candidates are Chandra Bhandari, Devraj Chalise, Surendra Raj Pandey, Madhu Acharya, Deepak Giri, Dhanraj Gurung, Govinda Bhattarai, and Chandra Mohan Yadav.
Wednesday has been set aside for filing claims and objections against the candidates and for withdrawing candidacies. Voting is scheduled for Thursday.
