Nepali Congress (NC) leader Chandra Bhandari has said that the party failed to secure a majority of seats in the recently concluded House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly elections as the leadership could not acknowledge the notion of nationalism that emerged during the Indian blockade. 

Speaking during a press meet organised by Rupandehi-chapter of Nepal Press Union at Butwal on Wednesday, leader Bhandari said the party leadership did not pay heed to repeated requests made by party leaders to deal with the nationalism issue from a different perspective on which the left alliance cashed in on to win maximum seats during the elections.

“We had suggested the party leadership to deal with the issue (nationalism) from a different perspective. But it went unheaded,”said leader Bhandari, “As a result, the left alliance reaped benefit from it in the elections and the NC suffered a humiliating loss.”

Likewise, leader Bhandari said that the NC leadership should also follow the international democratic practice of resigning from the post after suffering defeat in the elections. For this the leadership must give up the politics of interest and be involved in politics that suits national interests.

“As per international democratic practice, party leadership should step aside following an electoral defeat,” said Bhandari, “Now the leadership should give up on the politics of interests and make way for a true leadership.

The NC leader claimed that the party has not lost its power and aptidue despite the loss in elections, adding that the life-span of the upcoming government under the left alliance will be over soon without taking the NC into confidence.

“The next government should not boast its majority and keep the NC out of the equation,” said Bhandari, “If that happens the left alliance government will not be stable, rather it may collapse in just 18 months.”