Kathmandu, Jan. 15 : Ex-prime minister and Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the Nepali Congress will remain united only if differences of opinion within the party are given due respect.

Ex-prime minister Deuba, who was addressing NC general convention representatives and general committee members from Bagmati zone here today, said failure on the part of the party president to listen to and accept the views and suggestions of his opponents will debilitate the party.

He expressed his determination to always work for party unity and put effort into making the party more dynamic and people-oriented.

Stating that the Maoists are conspiring to finish off democracy by creating an atmosphere of terror and violence, Deuba stressed the need for party workers to unite so as to alienate the anti-democratic and violent elements from the people.

He also spoke of the need for a wider consensus among all political parties to banish poverty, unemployment and caste discrimination, and ensure the upliftment of the ethnic groups.

He claimed that he can forge a national consensus among all national political parties for the development of water resources, upliftment of ethnic groups, commercialisation of agriculture, proper utilisation of forests, and for controlling corruption and resolving the Maoist problem.

Ex-prime minister Deuba said his candidacy for the post of NC president is aimed at relieving party workers of servitude, fear and inhibition and making the party more dynamic.

NC leader Khum Bahadur Khadka said he who aspires to take up party leadership should not hesitate to go to the people.

He spoke of the need to run the party in a legitimate manner and establish the party leadership on the basis of ideology so as to put an end to in-party squabbling.

NC central member Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar urged the party workers to use their own discretion while electing the new party leadership, without giving in to any fear, greed or temptation.

Pradip Giri, also an NC leader, said the Nepali Congress will be able to win the trust of the people only if it is run in a democratic manner.

NC leader Chiranjibi Wagle said an irresponsible and weak party leadership will only lead to erosion of the people’s trust in the party.

MPs Mohan Bahadur Basnet, Hari Narayan Chaudhari, Rajendra Kharel and Narayan Singh Poon, NC Bhaktapur district president Radheshyam Jonchhe, ex-general secretary of Nepal Students Union Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, NC general committee member from Dhading Bharat Upreti and many others urged the party workers to resist the efforts being made within the party itself to finish off the political future of those holding different views.