KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has asked its leaders holding dual responsibilities in both party and government to focus primarily on governance, amid concerns over workload and effectiveness.
Party chair Rabi Lamichhane and senior leader as well as Prime Minister Balendra Shah are leading the party and the government respectively. While the party has a policy of limiting dual roles, several leaders currently hold positions in both structures.
General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti is serving as chief whip in the parliamentary party, while multiple secretariat members are also ministers. Leaders say such dual roles could affect performance and outcomes, prompting the party to direct them to prioritize ministerial and parliamentary duties over internal party work.
“We have reduced our focus on party work for now and are prioritizing government responsibilities,” said Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, adding that efforts are centered on ensuring efficient functioning of ministries.
Deputy chair Swarnim Wagle is leading the Finance Ministry, while another deputy chair Dol Prasad Aryal vacated his party post after becoming Speaker. Secretariat member Sobita Gautam is serving as Law Minister, while Shishir Khanal and Shrestha are leading the Foreign Affairs and Energy ministries respectively. Co-spokesperson Pratibha Rawal is handling the General Administration Ministry.
The party leadership has instructed these leaders to concentrate more on their ministerial roles than on secretariat activities.
PM absent from party meetings
Prime Minister Shah has not been attending most party meetings, including secretariat discussions. Leaders say this is in line with coordination between Shah and Chair Lamichhane, with the prime minister focusing on governance while the chair handles party affairs.
RSP leaders say Shah has delegated party-related responsibilities to Lamichhane and is prioritizing delivering results within a short timeframe. “He is focused on governance, not avoiding criticism,” a secretariat member said.
Shah has also limited public appearances and speeches, often choosing social media as his primary communication platform. His approach marks a departure from past prime ministers such as Sher Bahadur Deuba, KP Sharma Oli, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who regularly attended party meetings and publicly briefed party structures while in office.
Focus on results over formalities
The government has also discouraged ministers from attending non-essential events, including inaugurations and public functions, urging them to dedicate time to administrative work.
“We are focusing on results for the first three months. The practice of attending ribbon-cutting events has been discouraged,” said Minister Shrestha, adding that time constraints have limited interactions even with party supporters.
Party prepares for convention, local polls
Meanwhile, RSP is preparing to hold its general convention within six months of the recent elections. Internal discussions are underway to complete ward, local, and district-level conventions within the timeline.
The party is also working on candidate selection for upcoming local elections. According to spokesperson Manish Jha, candidates will be selected through structured processes such as leadership academy programs to ensure inclusiveness, transparency, and fairness.
Party leaders, including General Secretary Bhupdev Shah and others, are also engaged in organizational expansion at the grassroots level alongside governance responsibilities.
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