The bartering of BP’s soul

To restore the party to its historic glory, Gagan Thapa’s mission cannot be just organisational; it must also be existential.

Only a handful of homes in Kathmandu opened their doors to Kangressis during the late 1970s, offering them a space to deliberate. From as early as 7 am, they would congregate. Some would bring books worn thin from constant circulation; others carried notebooks scribbled with revolutionary ideas. Their conversations were loud, spirited, opinionated, and, at times, even brash, yet they were all rooted in the Nepali Congress’s core ideals of social democracy, which served as the lens through which they perceived their socio-political and economic realities. Regardless of disagreements, there was a strong sense of fraternity, though occasional political Judases managed to infiltrate these morning congregations to spy for the Palace.