Kathmandu, November 23
Nepali Congress General Secretary Shasank Koirala says whether Nepal is to remain secular or revert to the Hindu state status is a decision that needs to be taken by a referendum.
Koirala, who is the son of Nepali Congress doyen BP, said the referendum will have to be organised in the future. “We are not saying we want a referendum immediately, but we need to hold a referendum after there is political stability in the country,” added Koirala.
This is not the first time that Koirala, an ophthalmologist, has made such a remark. Ever since he kicked off his campaign for party general secretary in 2016, he has been saying that the issue should be put to vote.
Shasanks’ critics say that he has risen meteorically in the party just because he is BP’s son, and in reality does not have what it takes to lead the party in the future. They also say that he still lives in the past, and has accepted the ground reality of the country. During an interview with the BBC just ahead of the party’s convention, he said that Nepali Congress should revise its stance on key issues such as monarchy and federalism.
