Kathmandu, Jan 15: Newly elected Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa has said he will not allow party leaders and cadres to become helpless or sidelined, and pledged to make members proud to belong to the party.

Addressing leaders, cadres and well-wishers at the venue of the special general convention after being elected unopposed as party president, Thapa said he had received the responsibility with trust and confidence.

“I have been given the responsibility of the president with confidence. I am proud of the Nepali Congress. All comrades who are part of this party should feel proud to be Congress members. When the Congress is in difficulty, the party must stand and work for the people,” Thapa said.

He said the special general convention was a historic event not only for the Nepali Congress but also for modern Nepal. According to him, the participation and role of grassroots cadres reflected the direct involvement of citizens within the party.

“The grassroots cadres are representatives of the people. This convention is an intervention of citizens inside the party itself,” he said.

Thapa also rejected speculation about a possible split in the party. He said the Nepali Congress has never split under pressure and that holding a special general convention does not mean the party will break apart.

Earlier, Central Election Committee Coordinator Sitaram KC formally announced that Gagan Kumar Thapa had been elected unopposed as the president of the Nepali Congress.