Rastriya Jagaran Abhiyaan will unite the leaders: NC Spokesperson Sharma

KATHMANDU, April 19: Nepali Congress, the main opposition party, is running a three-phase national awareness campaign named ‘Himal Pahad Tarai Madhes Nepali Congress Rastriya Jagaran Abhiyaan’ from April 24, with an aim to make people aware about the government’s wrongdoings and strengthen the party organizations.

Reporters’ Club Nepal President Rishi Dhamala talked with NC Spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma focusing on the party’s nationwide programs. Excerpt:

What is the purpose of the national awareness campaign?

The campaign will help Nepali Congress transform, modernize, organize and strengthen in the changing political circumstances. The campaign also aims at informing the people, living inside and outside the country, about the corruption scandals and wrong policies of the incumbent government led by Nepal Communist Party, numerous issues of national politics and contemporary affairs.

When will the Nepali Congress unite?

There were, are and will always be differences within the party. Like in the past, unity within the party is unquestionable when national politics comes at front. The Nepali Congress has always fulfilled its responsibility. There are no contrastive ideas regarding the awareness campaign. We will run the campaign carrying one voice and one agenda.

Will the awareness campaign help resolve intra-party disputes?

We have taken this campaign as an opportunity–to develop positive attitudes, re-energize and unite the leaders. Like I said, all the political leaders will join hands to make the campaign successful. I believe this will certainly bring sentiments of integrity among the leaders.

What about the current frictions?

Disputes are normal within the party. Unity can be done overcoming differences. I don’t think it necessary to dwell on the polarities inside the party. It is time to discuss the upcoming awareness campaign.

What about the dissatisfaction among the party cadres?

Disputes existed when we brought the Maoists to the peace process. But when it came to the responsibility to the nation, the Nepali Congress never let the internal irritations infect its national duties. We had differences within the party when the nation was debating whether to overthrow or continue monarchy. We never debated when the topic of the federal republic was on the national table. We are launching the national awareness program. The internal disputes will not make any difference to our campaign.

Will it be enough to take delight on past memories? Has not Nepali Congress become weak in the present days?

Yes, it is true that we lost the elections. Winning and losing are part of politics. But, the campaign will bring drastic changes in the Nepali Congress.

Note: Under the Rastriya Jagaran Abhiyaan, the members of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee (CWC) will run various programs in the assigned districts across the country in the first phase (from April 24 to May 25). In the second phase, CWC members will visit all the 330 provincial electoral constituencies (from August 31 to September 24). Then the members will reach all the 753 local levels in the final phase, (from December 23 to January 2020).