Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa has said the party’s main responsibility is to hold free and fair elections and protect the constitution.

In a statement issued on Monday, he said the party would accept the reality and support the government to ensure the elections on time.TAG_OPEN_p_20

TAG_OPEN_p_19Thapa said, “The interim government has been formed and the date for the election has been announced. As a responsible democratic party, our duty is to support the government in conducting a fair election. But if the government deviates from the main path, the Congress will warn. ”

He said that the National Assembly, provincial assemblies and local governments are still present despite the dissolution of the House of Representatives, stressing the need of protecting the basic values of the constitution and democratic institutions.TAG_OPEN_p_18

TAG_OPEN_p_17″It is the main national responsibility of today to bring the constitution and democracy on the right track by holding the elections on time and in a fear-free environment,” he said.

The Nepali Congress has already demanded legal punishment against the culprits, declaring the state’s repression during the agitation on September 7 as unforgivable.TAG_OPEN_p_16 Thapa said that he would continue to exert pressure to take action against the culprits after assessing the damage caused by the arson and destruction that took place after the agitation.

Stressing the need for immediate reconstruction of damaged structures related to federalism, he stressed on the need of collaborating with local governments and civil society to prevent any deficiency in civic service.TAG_OPEN_p_15

Similarly, he said that party restructuring was the need of the hour and stressed on the need of radical reforms in membership, organizational structure, leadership selection and working style.TAG_OPEN_p_14 “I am ready to give up my responsibility for the sake of party reform,” he said.

In the statement, Thapa remembered the youths who lost their lives during the agitation and expressed his determination to build a corruption-free and people-oriented politics.TAG_OPEN_p_13

}”Lost lives will not be reversed, but we are committed to fulfilling the dreams of these young people,” he said.