- The Nepali Congress marked BP Koirala’s memorial with separate factional events, exposing deep leadership rifts and a split ideological legacy.
- Rival groups are criticized for using Koirala’s image for branding while neglecting his core principles of meritocracy and institutional democracy.
- Persistent infighting over leadership legitimacy has stalled organizational modernization, alienating a public increasingly frustrated by corruption and economic hardship.
- To survive, the party must move beyond symbolic gestures and restore the internal democratic foundations established by its founder.
Kathmandu, Nepal : Shortly after dawn in Lalitpur, a sea of young runners in matching white T-shirts jogged through the damp monsoon fog. They were taking part in a five-kilometre "Green Run" organized by the new reformist leadership of the Nepali Congress. On the front of their shirts was a printed portrait of Bishweshwor Prasad (BP) Koirala; on the back was a logo promoting climate change awareness.
By midday, just a few miles across town inside the cavernous hall of Pragya Bhawan, a completely different scene unfolded. Surrounded by thick garlands of marigolds and the scent of burning incense, senior party dissidents gathered in a solemn, tight-lipped assembly.
Both groups claimed to be doing the same thing: honoring the 44th memorial anniversary of BP Koirala—Nepal's first democratically elected Prime Minister, pioneering author, and founder of the Nepali Congress.
Yet, for ordinary supporters standing on the sidelines, the stark contrast made one thing painfully clear: the party was not merely honoring its ideological icon—it had split his legacy down the middle.
The Titan and the Ideal
To understand why this internal tug-of-war stings so deeply for party faithful, one must look at the man behind the marigold garlands.
BP Koirala was a rare political figure—a statesman who could lead a revolution and write landmark psychological fiction with equal brilliance. After leading the Nepali Congress to a historic victory in 1959, he championed radical land reforms under the slogan Jamin Jotneko ("The land belongs to the tiller") to break centuries of feudal dominance.
Even while living in exile, enduring imprisonment, and battling terminal throat cancer, Koirala returned to Nepal in 1976 with a policy of "national reconciliation." When urged to seek urgent medical treatment abroad, he famously replied:
"What does my health matter when the health of the nation itself is not good?"
For BP, democratic principles always outweighed individual egos. He firmly believed that a party's General Convention was its supreme institution—capable of electing or replacing any leader, including himself. The institution always came first.
T-Shirts, Factions, and Brand-Name Ideology
Fast forward to the present, and that founding ideal feels increasingly distant. Following months of bitter infighting over internal conventions, court battles, and leadership legitimacy, the Nepali Congress has effectively fractured into two parallel factions.
While one side relies on public relations events such as climate runs to project itself as modern and reform-oriented, the other gathers behind closed doors to rally the party's traditional leadership.
"Running through the streets with BP's face on a T-shirt that gets thrown into the laundry the next day sums up modern politics," muttered one weary cadre standing outside Pragya Bhawan. "Both sides are simply using his image as a trademark while fighting for control of the party."
Why the Drift Matters
This is not merely about internal party infighting; the consequences extend far beyond party headquarters.
A Disillusioned Electorate: Everyday Nepalis—grappling with economic hardship, unemployment, and corruption—are increasingly turning away from traditional political parties. The rapid rise of newer political movements demonstrates that history alone is no longer enough to earn public trust.
Merit vs. Legacy: BP viewed democracy as a public trust. Today's younger generation is increasingly rejecting inherited political privilege and demanding parties built on merit, transparency, and accountability rather than family lineage.
Internal Paralysis: Even basic organizational modernization—such as maintaining digital records for the party's roughly 800,000 active members—has reportedly stalled as rival factions remain reluctant to surrender control over internal voting blocs.
More Than a Memorial Day
As the banners come down and Kathmandu's rain washes away the morning's chalk markings from the race, the challenge facing the Nepali Congress remains profound.
BP Koirala did not build a political movement merely to become the centerpiece of annual commemorations. If the party hopes to rebuild public confidence, it must recognize that honoring its founder requires more than speeches and symbolic events. It requires restoring the internal democracy that BP himself considered the foundation of the institution—before the party he built risks fracturing beyond repair.
