Royalist Protests Won’t End Without New Leadership, Says Gagan Thapa

As pro-monarchy protests continue in Kathmandu, Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa says the real reason behind public anger is not just about monarchy, but about the same old political faces staying in power for too long.

Speaking at a program in Lalitpur on Saturday, Thapa said, “These protests will end the day top leaders of big parties step aside and give younger leaders a chance.”

He said that people are tired of seeing the same leaders who have already failed them. “We keep talking about democracy, but we don’t practice it properly. The problem is that the same leaders who were rejected by society are still in power,” he said.

Thapa made it clear that he respects senior leaders, but believes it’s time for them to step back. He also mentioned that his party, Nepali Congress, has many capable leaders. He said, “Our party president, Sher Bahadur Deuba, is expected to become the next prime minister. But I believe there are many leaders in our party who can do a better job than him.”

According to an agreement between Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, the Congress party will lead the government soon. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has also said the agreement still stands.

Thapa’s comments came at a time when the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has been leading royalist protests across the Kathmandu Valley. In response, the government has declared the road in front of Narayanhiti Palace a prohibited zone and banned public gatherings there.

He believes that instead of looking back to monarchy, Nepal needs new leadership and fresh ideas to move forward.