KATHMANDU:- Nepali Congress (NC) leader Dr Shekhar Koirala has said the party is ready to contest the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5, provided there is a firm guarantee of peace and security across the country.

Addressing a programme held in Kathmandu on Tuesday to mark the 102nd birth anniversary of veteran NC leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, popularly known as Kisunji, Dr Koirala reaffirmed the readiness of the country’s oldest democratic party for the impending elections.

Expressing concern over the current law-and-order situation, Dr Koirala claimed that more than 5,000 prisoners were roaming free and over 500 police weapons had been looted in recent unrest. He stressed that no political force has the right to manipulate elections through intimidation or rigging.

He was referring to the violent incidents during and after the Gen-Z-led protests on September 8 and 9, when prison breaks were reported and police stations were torched in several parts of the country. In this context, Dr Koirala emphasized the need to raise the morale of the police force.

Linking the unrest to what he described as weak nationalism, the NC leader said political stability must be the top priority at present. He added that his key agendas—good governance and the fight against corruption—resonate strongly with the aspirations of the younger generation.

Noting that the country is currently passing through a challenging phase, Dr Koirala said timely elections are essential to steer Nepal towards development and prosperity. He also hinted at a possible delay in the party’s general convention, citing late decisions by the central working committee that delayed the distribution of active membership forms at the grassroots level.

On another note, Dr Koirala called for deeper research and study of NC’s founding leaders, including BP Koirala, Ganeshman Singh, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Subarna Shumsher Rana, pledging his full support for such initiatives.

At the same programme, constitutional expert Prof Dr Bipin Adhikari described Kisunji as a close associate of BP Koirala and praised him as a principled democratic leader, writer and visionary. Spiritual leader Swami Ananda Arun highlighted Kisunji’s simplicity and integrity, noting that he accepted electoral defeats on three occasions despite his stature.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Santa Neta Krishna Prasad Bhattarai Kendra, Lokesh Dhakal, expressed concern that the Nepali Congress has failed to adequately honor Kisunji’s legacy. He suggested that the party should consider revisiting its leadership and policies ahead of the elections.

The event also featured the launch of a book titled “Kisunji Preranadayi Prasanga”, jointly authored by Rabindra Uprety and Deva Upadhyay.