DHANGADHI: The Nagarik Unmukti Party, a key partner in the ruling Nepali Congress-UML coalition, finds itself mired in an internal power struggle that has brought parts of the Sudurpaschim Provincial Government to a standstill.
At the heart of the dispute is a widening rift between party founder Resham Chaudhary and chairperson Ranjita Shrestha — who are also husband and wife.
While Chaudhary remains a central figure in the party as its founder and ideological leader, his refusal to align with Shrestha’s decisions has created visible fractures within the party, particularly over the appointment of ministers in the province.
The leadership deadlock has left the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment leaderless for over a month, severely hampering policy formulation and budget planning for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26.
The ministerial post became vacant after former Minister Laxman Chaudhary resigned on March 29 following the release of an audio clip implicating him in a bribery scandal. Since then, the provincial assembly’s Nagarik Unmukti Party parliamentary party — comprising seven members — has failed to agree on a replacement due to the ongoing feud between Resham and Ranjita.
Although the parliamentary party had entrusted both the chairperson and patron with the responsibility of nominating a new minister, efforts have stalled. Party chair Ranjita Shrestha has recommended Kailash Chaudhary — a directly elected member from Kailali Constituency-1 — for the role. However, Resham has strongly opposed the decision, pressuring the party not to implement it.
The tension escalated when accusations emerged that Ranjita might be attempting to have Resham entangled in legal issues by allegedly encouraging him to submit a letter to the Supreme Court that could lead to his arrest — a claim that has further strained party unity.
Governance and budget planning disrupted
The absence of a minister has had tangible effects on the functioning of the provincial government. The Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment — a key portfolio in Sudurpaschim — has not had a functioning political head for over 45 days. This vacuum has delayed critical decisions related to the province’s annual policy and budget formulation.
Senior forest officer Bharat Shrestha, the ministry’s spokesperson, confirmed that while technical staff have drafted a preliminary version of the policy and program and submitted it to Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah on May 8, high-level discussions on a Rs 1.5 billion budget ceiling set by the Ministry of Finance remain stalled due to the lack of political leadership.
Until recently, Secretary Pramod Bhattarai was overseeing ministry operations in the absence of a minister. But his subsequent transfer to Lumbini Province has left the ministry without a secretary or undersecretary, compounding the leadership crisis.
Provincial chief awaits clarity
Chief Minister Shah has maintained that he will appoint the minister based on official recommendations from Nagarik Unmukti Party. However, as of now, he has received no formal communication. “We have not yet received any official recommendation from Nagarik Unmukti Party about who is to be appointed minister,” Shah said.
The confusion and deadlock have caused concern not only within Nagarik Unmukti Party but also across the provincial governance structure. What began as a personal rift between two of the party’s top leaders has now escalated into a broader crisis threatening administrative efficiency in one of Nepal’s most resource-strapped provinces.
Future at a crossroads
The current turmoil raises deeper questions about Nagarik Unmukti Party’s identity — is it a political organization with institutional accountability or a vehicle shaped by familial power dynamics?
With the party divided and its internal decision-making paralyzed, the party’s influence in the Sudurpaschim Province is under scrutiny.
If unresolved, the dispute could cost the party both its credibility and its stake in the ruling coalition, and more critically, it could further undermine governance in a region already struggling with development challenges.
Comment