KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has inducted 33 new leaders into its central committee, triggering intense internal negotiations over power-sharing among factions linked to Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah, former Nepal Electricity Authority chief Kulman Ghising, and Ujyalo Nepal.
According to party sources, 26 of the newly appointed central members are close to Mayor Shah, while seven leaders have joined from Bibeksheel Sajha. Prominent Bibeksheel Sajha figures, including party chair Samikshya Baskota, general secretary Ranju Darshana, and Prakash Chandra Pariyar, have now become RSP central members. Mayor Shah, meanwhile, has been elevated to the position of senior leader within the party.
Despite his growing influence, Shah has not appeared at any official party programs even two weeks after formally joining RSP.
Questions over Kulman faction’s role
The appointments have raised questions about how leaders aligned with Kulman Ghising will be accommodated, particularly as Balen-aligned leaders secure key positions. Responding to these concerns, RSP leader Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said that preparations are underway to assign responsibilities to leaders from Ujyalo Nepal, including central committee positions, within the next few days.
“This matter is under internal discussion. Once the central committee meeting takes formal decisions, responsibilities will be assigned accordingly,” Shrestha said.
The party’s central committee meeting held on Sunday also decided to add four new office-bearer positions. According to sources, one general secretary post is set to go to the Balen faction. Sachin Pokharel, currently a co-spokesperson and considered close to Shah, is likely to be appointed as co-spokesperson again, while Bhupdev Shah is being considered for the post of joint general secretary.
Mayor Shah is reportedly pushing Sunil Lamsal as a candidate for general secretary, though leaders close to Kulman Ghising are also staking a claim to the same post. Discussions on this issue are still ongoing.
Balancing rival factions
Party insiders say there is a proposal to accommodate both camps by reassigning existing roles. Current co-spokespersons Pratibha Rawal and Ramesh Prasai may be repositioned to ensure representation for both the Kulman and Balen factions.
“The general secretary post is almost certain to go to us. We have proposed Sunil Lamsal,” a Balen-aligned leader said, adding that Kulman’s group is also pressing its claim.
Ujyalo Nepal demands stall talks
Negotiations with Ujyalo Nepal have hit a snag after the group demanded the posts of general secretary and an additional vice-chair. RSP leaders have indicated that the party statute could be amended to create extra positions if needed.
“There is agreement on issues, but disagreements remain over leadership management and positions,” a RSP leader said, adding that an additional general secretary or vice-chair post could be created to accommodate Ujyalo Nepal.
Ujyalo Nepal leaders claim they had demanded 21 central committee seats but were offered between 15 and 18. They have also raised concerns over proportional representation (PR) seat allocations, alleging they were placed in unwinnable positions.
“We will only move forward if our concerns over office-bearer roles and proportional representation errors are addressed,” a Ujyalo Nepal leader said.
Ujyalo Nepal has submitted a list of 12 leaders for RSP’s central committee, while RSP has acknowledged sending only 14 Ujyalo-affiliated names under the PR closed list so far. Party leaders say the Election Commission has provided time to correct errors, allowing adjustments in favor of the Kulman faction.
RSP spokesperson Manish Jha confirmed that the party is ready to rectify any technical mistakes in PR nominations.
Push for supplementary agreement
Ujyalo Nepal and RSP are now preparing a supplementary agreement to explicitly include commitments to federalism, secularism, republicanism, multiculturalism, national unity, inclusive democracy, and proportional representation in the party statute and manifesto.
These issues were not clearly articulated during the initial merger talks, prompting Ujyalo Nepal to demand written commitments rather than verbal assurances.
Extended discussions were held over the weekend between RSP Chair Rabi Lamichhane and Ujyalo Nepal patron Kulman Ghising. Party leaders say there is now a tentative agreement to incorporate these principles into official documents, though its implementation remains uncertain.
“Until there is a written commitment, we cannot move forward,” a Ujyalo Nepal central member told Khabarhub, warning that the group may proceed independently if the demands are not met.
Visit to Election Commission raises doubts
Speculation over the unity process intensified after Ujyalo Nepal leaders visited the Election Commission on Friday to inquire about deadlines for submitting PR closed lists. Party officials later clarified that Ujyalo Nepal had already submitted a list of 110 names on December 29, 2025, along with the required fee, and the visit was meant to clarify procedural issues.
Despite last-minute mediation efforts led by activist Sudan Gurung, internal disagreements within Ujyalo Nepal surfaced almost immediately after the initial unity announcement.
Both Ujyalo Nepal leaders and Kulman Ghising have maintained that without clear ideological commitments in writing, full integration into RSP remains undecided.
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