JANAKPURDHAM. Feb 19: The Nepali Congress, which has entered the election race after its special general convention, has put on a show of strength in Madhesh Province by holding its first public rally there. Under the leadership of President Gagan Kumar Thapa, the party organized a major election gathering on Wednesday at Tiruhutiya Gachhi in Janakpur.
Through the same event, the party also unveiled its election manifesto. From the rally, the Nepali Congress asked the public not only for votes but also for trust and confidence.
People from all eight districts of Madhesh Province, along with supporters, party leaders, cadres, and well-wishers from nearby areas, attended the gathering.
Addressing the rally, party president Thapa declared that Congress will now take charge of national leadership and establish a system in which the state assumes responsibility for all Nepalis. He also pledged to develop Madhesh as a center of knowledge and to push for effective implementation of federalism. Promising to end poor governance, Thapa said Congress is capable of moving ahead by bringing everyone together.
Thapa, who is contesting the House of Representatives election from Sarlahi 4 in Madhesh Province, said he has drawn the courage and determination for national change from Madhesh itself. He stressed that Madhesh must play a decisive role in implementing federalism.
“Now Madhesh must ensure the implementation of federalism in the country,” he said. “Madhesh has the educational, health, science, and information technology base needed to take leadership.”
Clarifying his goal to develop Madhesh as a knowledge hub, Thapa said that without Madhesh’s education system, mathematics would not have been taught effectively in the hills. He said teachers from Madhesh helped educate the country, yet today the state of education, health, and science in the region remains poor.
Desperate search for missing girls as nearly 80 dead in Texas f...
He said he came to Madhesh to address the problems of local farmers, especially sugarcane growers, as well as environmental challenges and drinking water shortages. He also pledged to build Madhesh into an economic force capable of sustaining the entire country.
Pointing out that the province’s financial structure has become disorderly, Thapa said controlling cooperative fraud will be a priority. “The activities of cooperative fraudsters have grown here. They will now be dealt with,” he warned.
Addressing the aspirations of Madhesh youth, he announced plans to establish a cricket academy in the province. “I want to fulfill the cricket dream seen by Madhesh’s youth,” he said.
Saying he has come to Madhesh to become its “son,” Thapa added that he has drawn inspiration from the courage and lifestyle of the region’s historic figures.
He said Congress has entered the election field with internal reform and self-review to regain public trust. “We have come not just for votes but for trust and confidence,” he said. “Congress is ready to move the country forward and deliver real change.”
Thapa also said the party aims to establish Congress as a common platform for youth and has begun a campaign to fulfill their aspirations.
He added that if necessary, the state will manage embassies and staffing to ensure the safety of Nepalis abroad. “No matter where a Nepali lives overseas, the Government of Nepal will take responsibility for their care,” he said.
Similarly, party vice president Bishwaprakash Sharma said both the country and Madhesh are passing through a difficult phase and urged voters to elect the force capable of handling the situation. He said the current election is different from a routine contest.
“We know this is a time of pain for the country and for Madhesh,” he said. “The main question now is not who wins, but who can handle the country in this situation.”
Sharma said winning or losing is nothing new for Congress, but the current debate is tied to the future of the system. “This is not about who wins, but who can manage the situation. Congress has won many elections and lost many too. Victory and defeat are not new for us,” he said. “But today the question is whether the system will be protected or weakened, and who can preserve social harmony.”
He expressed special respect for Madhesh’s contribution to both the country and the party, describing the region as the nation’s grain store. “Madhesh is the land that feeds the stomachs of most Nepalis,” he said, expressing gratitude to Madhesh farmers for every grain they produce. He stressed the need for responsible leadership and stability in the current political moment.
At the program, RSP Madhesh Province chief Mamata Sharma joined the Nepali Congress. Party president Thapa welcomed the founding provincial chair of the RSP into Congress.
After joining, Sharma said she left the RSP because individuals with questionable records were gaining influence there. “When people with blemished records started receiving tickets, I felt my contribution had gone to waste. So, I left that party and joined the Nepali Congress, which carries the spirit of Gen Z and focuses on good governance,” she said.
She appealed to voters to support a changed Congress, saying Madhesh has repeatedly voted for leaders who then hurt the region. Speaking in Maithili, she said:
“The people of Madhesh always give votes to leaders. But leaders have kept exploiting the people of Madhesh. This time, choose good candidates in Madhesh and recognize the Congress candidates.”
