KATHMANDU: The central committee meeting of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is being held in Kathmandu for two days starting today (Saturday).
This marks the first such meeting since the arrest of RSP Chair Rabi Lamichhane in a cooperative fraud case. The meeting aims to discuss the party’s policies and programs.
Lamichhane is currently in the custody of the Kaski police. The RSP secretariat met for the first time nine days after his arrest.
Since then, DP Aryal took over as Acting Chair, holding the secretariat meeting.
Additionally, the party had conducted a virtual central committee meeting prior to this.
The current central committee meeting — scheduled for today and tomorrow – holds particular significance, both for the party and its rivals.
Among the topics of interest is the possible reinstatement of the suspended former General Secretary Mukul Dhakal.
The party refrained from fielding candidates for mayor and two ward chairpersons in Kirtipur, yet managed to send a message of its presence in urban areas by winning Kathmandu-16.
However, discussions regarding Dhakal’s return are unlikely to be part of the agenda for this meeting.
Will Mukul be discussed?
In light of the ongoing legal troubles facing Lamichhane, including allegations of cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering, some party leaders are advocating for Dhakal’s reinstatement.
However, no official stance has been made public on the matter. Many party leaders have expressed discontent with Dhakal, citing his statements about Lamichhane and the RSP as factors that have caused damage to the party.
As the case against Lamichhane remains in court, some leaders argue that reinstating Mukul could help stabilize the party.
Just this Wednesday, Koshi Province President Rajesh Timsina and Madhesh Province President Tapeshwor Yadav sent a letter to Acting Chair DP Aryal calling for Dhakal’s reinstatement.
RSP spokesperson Manish Jha confirmed that the letters had been received but clarified that the agenda for the central committee meeting had already been set.
“The Madhes and Koshi Province presidents have sent letters to the acting president. The party will discuss them, but these topics won’t be included in the central committee agenda,” Jha told Khabarhub.
“The agenda was finalized by the secretariat meeting on Thursday, and the letters came afterward. While the issue may be raised, it won’t be part of the official discussion.”
Jha also noted that the current General Secretary’s public remarks have been problematic, stating that “a person in politics should have principles, ideas, and integrity.” He emphasized that no immediate decision would be made regarding Dhakal’s reinstatement.
Calls for apology
Some RSSP leaders argue that Dhakal should issue a formal apology to regain credibility within the party.
“Dhakal needs to correct his mistakes and apologize,” a senior leader of the RSP told Khabarhub. “His actions have harmed the party’s integrity and responsibility. Without acknowledging his mistakes, even regular members will find it difficult to support him.”
Critics of Dhakal within the RSP highlight his ongoing disrespect towards key figures, such as Dr. Swarnim Wagle, and his public comments on party leadership and MPs.
One leader remarked, “When Dhakal was aligned with the president, he disregarded everyone. After a fallout, he began attacking us. If he had known about the president’s issues from the start, he should have spoken up earlier. A politician can’t just speak out of turn without the facts.”
While acknowledging that the president also has faults, the leader argued that Dhakal’s behavior was unacceptable.
“If there is an issue, it should first be discussed within the party. Only after internal efforts fail should it be made public. Instead, Dhakal kept airing his grievances in the media.”
Despite these ongoing tensions, some RSP leaders have raised concerns that Dhakal, if not restrained, could continue to cause trouble within the party.
An RSP leader revealed that Dhakal has recently attempted to enlist the support of several state presidents, asking them to send letters on his behalf.
How likely is it that Mukul will be reinstated?
There is a possibility that some central members and provincial presidents may raise the issue of Mukul’s reinstatement at the upcoming central committee meeting.
However, even if the matter is discussed, an RSP secretariat member suggests that no decision will be made about his return to the party at this time.
That said, if Mukul issues a public apology, there is a chance that the next central committee and secretariat meetings may grant him general membership.
A member of the RSVP secretariat shared, “Reinstating him as general secretary is not on the table for now. If he issues an apology, he could be granted ordinary membership, and that will be discussed within the party.”
Will Mukul apologize?
In recent days, Mukul has been in contact with members of the party’s central committee and secretariat, trying to gauge the sentiments of the leaders.
Some leaders are preparing to reinstate Mukul after he conducts self-criticism, especially if Chairman Lamichhane ends up imprisoned in the cooperative fraud case.
However, Mukul has yet to form a definitive stance. While feeling guilty, he has argued with RSP leaders, asserting that the president himself has also been proven wrong.
“There was talk that Mukul might join another party, but after the disagreement, he is planning to become active again in the RSP,” said a leader. “Mukul is now at a point where he is considering an apology.”
Although he has not confirmed this publicly, a leader close to Mukul mentioned that discussions are underway regarding his potential return to the party’s general membership before the general convention.
As a result, Mukul has been consulting with key leaders about this possibility.
Agendas for the upcoming meeting
The RSP is scheduled to hold its general convention in the third week of Baisakh.
Conventions and gatherings have been held in 60 districts, excluding the Himalayas, and the leadership remains confident that the convention will take place as planned.
However, concerns have arisen about whether the convention will occur on time following Lamichhane’s legal troubles. A central committee meeting has been called to discuss this matter.
“At this point, the general convention is still on track. However, it would be prudent to make a decision after discussions with central members,” said Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, deputy leader of the RSP parliamentary party.
“The central committee meeting has been called because the RSVP has numerous issues to address. Additional decisions regarding the general convention will be made at the meeting.”
The statute is currently being reviewed by central members, with plans to pass it following their suggestions. Once the political report and statute are finalized, the party will proceed accordingly.
Acting Chair Aryal also confirmed that district meetings are being held to ensure the general convention takes place on time.
“The Chair’s decision is clear, and the RSVP is doing its part. It has been decided to hold the general convention on the date set by the national assembly,” Aryal told Khabarhub.
“This will also be discussed in the central committee, after which further decisions will be made.”
The RSP did not perform as expected in the recently-held by-elections, with only one victory out of 26 candidates in Kathmandu-16.
The party refrained from fielding candidates for mayor and two ward chairpersons in Kirtipur, yet managed to send a message of its presence in urban areas by winning Kathmandu-16.
However, the RSP’s performance in the other 25 seats was deemed disappointing.
Preparations are underway to review the strategy behind not fielding candidates in Kirtipur and the results in other districts.
RSP leader Shishir Khanal emphasized that the party will soon engage in discussions to formulate a strategy for building a nationwide organizational structure.
Meanwhile, the future direction of the party will be guided by the report presented at last year’s Jaleshwor meeting in Mahottari and the political report presented by the president at the national meeting.
Spokesperson Manish Jha confirmed that these issues will be discussed on the second day of the meeting.
While the national meeting has already drafted a statute, it has not yet been approved by the central committee.
“This realization came through during the elections. Our plan is to establish groups of 18-20 members at the municipal level and 4-5 members at the ward level.”
The statute is currently being reviewed by central members, with plans to pass it following their suggestions. Once the political report and statute are finalized, the party will proceed accordingly.
Current affairs
The upcoming meeting will address the course of action if President Rabi Lamichhane is required to go to jail.
The RSP has accused the government of detaining Lamichhane for an extended period as retaliation, citing the filing of three cases against him.
The RSP is preparing to delegate full responsibility to the individuals currently holding acting positions until the general convention.
At present, Aryal serves as the Acting Chair, Kabindra Burlakoti as the acting general secretary, and Jha as the acting spokesperson.
With the winter session of parliament approaching, the RSP is also considering the election of a parliamentary party leader.
Statutorily, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha is the current leader of the RSP parliamentary party, and preparations are underway to formally assign him this responsibility.
Organizational expansion
The RSP has formulated a plan to expand its organization from the municipal level to the ward level.
Leader Khanal highlighted the need to establish organizations in areas beyond just government employees.
According to Khanal, the meeting will focus on forming organizations in sectors other than government employees and teachers.
He emphasized that local-level and ward-level organizations are crucial.
“We need a nimble organization, not a cumbersome one like others,” Khanal told Khabarhub.
“This realization came through during the elections. Our plan is to establish groups of 18-20 members at the municipal level and 4-5 members at the ward level.”
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