KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister and Chair of the Nepal Samajwadi Party, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, has described the election of Gagan Thapa as President of the Nepali Congress through its special general convention as “a positive starting point for the restructuring of political parties.”

Welcoming the leadership change achieved through democratic practice, Dr. Bhattarai expressed confidence that the campaign initiated by Thapa and his team would create moral pressure on other political parties to undergo transformation as well.

Congratulating Thapa via social media on Thursday, Bhattarai remarked that a long-established democratic party like the Nepali Congress has successfully updated itself in line with changing times. “The process of time-relevant restructuring of political parties has begun successfully from the oldest democratic party, the Nepali Congress. Gagan Thapa and his team deserve congratulations for this achievement,” he wrote.

Bhattarai further stated that the arrival of a new generation in leadership would encourage healthy competition between reformed traditional parties and emerging alternative political forces.

He added, “This change will further strengthen the foundation of the federal democratic republic and elevate cooperation and competition with alternative political forces to a new level.”