KATHMANDU: A serious internal crisis has erupted within the Ujyalo Nepal Party less than 24 hours after it signed a merger agreement with the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), with senior leaders openly questioning the decision and demanding that the deal be scrapped.
Ujyalo Nepal formally agreed to merge into RSP on Monday, with party chair Kulman Ghising joining RSP in a second-ranking position. However, the agreement, particularly the understanding on leadership roles and proportional representation (PR) nominations, has triggered widespread discontent inside Ujyalo Nepal.
At the heart of the dispute is the post of general secretary. Ujyalo Nepal leaders say they were verbally assured the general secretary position during merger talks, but no written commitment was made. By Tuesday morning, RSP leaders reportedly signaled that the post may not be handed over, prompting anger and confusion within Ujyalo Nepal.
“There was a clear understanding that the general secretary post would go to Ujyalo Nepal. Now that is being questioned,” a Ujyalo Nepal central committee member told Khabarhub. “If agreements are violated from day one, unity cannot last.”
Dispute over proportional representation list
Tensions escalated further after only 15 Ujyalo Nepal leaders appeared in RSP’s proportional representation closed list, despite an earlier understanding that 18 names would be included. Several leaders also expressed dissatisfaction over the placement of names low on the list.
“This has created a sense of betrayal,” said another central member. “Some names appear symbolic, not serious nominations. This has deepened mistrust.”
Leaders say merger was unilateral
Dissent is not limited to leadership positions. Many leaders claim the merger decision was taken unilaterally by Ghising and a small circle of leaders without proper consultation with the party’s central committee.
Senior figures from eastern Nepal, including Saraswati Limbu Saru (Taplejung), Dr. Mahendra Lawati (Panchthar) and Dakendra Thegim (Ilam), have publicly voiced opposition. Lawati reportedly asked party leadership to remove his name from the PR list, saying the party had already decided against a merger.
“I was shocked to hear about the merger in the evening,” Lawati said. “The central committee had already concluded that unity was not possible. This kind of dramatic, last-minute decision is unacceptable.”
Other leaders said earlier discussions had leaned toward electoral cooperation rather than a full merger. “The understanding was to move forward separately. This sudden agreement has created a serious legitimacy crisis inside the party,” a leader said.
Demand to revoke merger agreement
Amid growing pressure, Ujyalo Nepal attempted to convene an emergency central committee meeting on Tuesday morning. However, Ghising cited ministerial engagements and postponed it until evening. Informal meetings among senior leaders are ongoing in Kathmandu.
Several central committee members are now calling for the immediate revocation of the merger agreement and a shift toward election-only cooperation with RSP.
“If clarity on leadership positions and PR representation is not given, this agreement must be annulled,” said a central member from Bagmati Province. “We cannot accept an agreement that undermines our dignity and organizational strength.”
Leaders have also raised concerns over representation in RSP’s central committee, saying no clear framework has been shared.
Nearly 40 percent leaders dissatisfied
Ujyalo Nepal currently has 70 central committee members. Party sources estimate that nearly 40 percent of them are dissatisfied with the merger decision.
Discontent has also surfaced over alleged favoritism in the PR list. Central member Prabin Tamang objected to the inclusion of relatives in the list, raising concerns during an internal meeting about erosion of the party’s founding principles.
Several leaders have suggested that Ujyalo Nepal should move ahead independently in the election while limiting cooperation with Raswpa to seat-level coordination.
“The agreement has not been implemented in the spirit it was made,” said Dakendra Thegim. “At this point, contesting independently with limited cooperation makes more sense than forcing an unstable merger.”
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