In a move that has sent shockwaves through Nepal’s oldest political institution, Gagan Kumar Thapa has formally resigned as the President of the Nepali Congress (NC). The decision comes exactly two weeks after the March 5 snap elections, which saw the party suffer its most devastating defeat in history.
Thapa, who was elected party president in a “rebellious” special convention just this past January, submitted his resignation to Vice-President Bishwa Prakash Sharma late Wednesday night. In his brief statement, Thapa cited “moral responsibility” for the party’s poor performance and his personal loss in the Sarlahi-4 constituency.
A Brutal Mandate
The snap elections, triggered by the “Gen Z uprising” in late 2025, proved to be a total rejection of the political establishment.
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Personal Defeat: Thapa, once considered a symbol of youth and reform, lost his seat in Sarlahi-4 to the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) candidate Amresh Kumar Singh by a significant margin of over 12,000 votes. Thapa had notably shifted his candidacy from his traditional stronghold of Kathmandu-4 for this election.
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Party Collapse: Under Thapa’s short-lived leadership, the Nepali Congress was reduced to just 38 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives, a staggering drop from its previous standing. The RSP, led by Prime Ministerial candidate Balen Shah, secured a near two-thirds majority with 182 seats.
Internal Friction and Future Uncertainty
Thapa’s resignation has exposed deep-seated divisions within the Congress. While Vice-President Sharma and several youth leaders reportedly urged him to stay and lead a “root-to-branch” reform, the faction loyal to former president Sher Bahadur Deuba has been vocal in demanding his exit. The Deuba camp had previously challenged the legitimacy of the January convention in the Supreme Court.
“It is appropriate for me to step aside so the party can reflect on why we lost the trust of the new generation,” Thapa reportedly told colleagues.
The NC Central Working Committee (CWC) has called an emergency meeting for Friday, March 20, to decide whether to formally accept the resignation. If accepted, the party faces a leadership vacuum at its most critical juncture since the 1950s.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission is scheduled to present the final election report to President Ram Chandra Paudeltoday, clearing the path for Balen Shah to form the next government.