Gururaj Ghimire Accuses National Assembly and District Coordination Committee of Becoming ‘Reserve Groups’

April 20, Kathmandu – Nepali Congress General Secretary Gururaj Ghimire has accused political parties of turning the National Assembly and District Coordination Committees into reserve groups. Speaking at an event in Kathmandu on Saturday, he stated that these institutions are being misused as platforms to discourage individuals who were defeated in elections or have been deprived of political opportunities for years. “The National Assembly has been made a reserve group in politics,” said Ghimire. “There is a tendency to sideline those who have no role in the party, have lost elections, or have been denied opportunities for years by placing them in the National Assembly. This practice has undermined the institution’s dignity and prestige.”
According to General Secretary Ghimire, the practice of sending long-neglected or election-defeated individuals to the National Assembly has weakened the institution’s dignity, reputation, and effectiveness. He emphasized that such practices have devalued the role of the upper house. He further remarked that political parties have failed to provide proper representation, resulting in the selection of members incapable of fulfilling their duties in the National Assembly.
He also accused the District Coordination Committee (DCC) of falling victim to similar trends. He noted a growing practice of managing individuals who have failed to secure key local or provincial positions by placing them in the DCC. “The District Coordination Committee has also been turned into an extra group. If someone fails to become a mayor, rural municipality chairperson, provincial assembly member, or parliamentarian, they are simply placed there to be sidelined,” he said. “The role there is limited to sitting around, riding in vehicles, and receiving a modest allowance.”
Ghimire stressed the need for empowering the District Coordination Committees with authority. Although the constitution assigns responsibilities, these bodies have not become effective due to a lack of adequate power and resources. “Only by empowering the District Coordination Committees with authority and resources through constitutional amendments can their relevance be ensured; otherwise, it will not be possible,” he clarified. He underscored that all political parties must seriously commit to strengthening state institutions to make them robust and effective.