Kathmandu: Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa has resigned. Thapa, who was defeated in the House of Representatives election held on Falgun 21, submitted his resignation to Vice President Bishwaprakash Sharma on Wednesday.
Previously elected from Kathmandu-4, Thapa had contested this time from Sarlahi-4. He was defeated by Dr. Amaresh Kumar Singh of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). While the RSP secured nearly a two-thirds majority of seats, the Nepali Congress, which came second, managed to win only 38 seats in total—18 under the first-past-the-post system and 20 through proportional representation.
After the election results, Thapa had been preparing to resign. However, leaders from various levels of the party had been advising and pressuring him not to step down.
Thapa had been unanimously elected as party president in a special general convention held before the election. A decision on his resignation will be made in the party’s upcoming meeting. The Central Working Committee meeting has been scheduled for Friday.
