KATHMANDU: Chairperson of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rabi Lamichhane, has urged party members to demonstrate patience, sacrifice and dedication to fulfill what he described as the responsibility entrusted by the times.
In a social media message ahead of the party’s district conventions taking place on Saturday and Sunday, Lamichhane said the moment had arrived for members to transform from “I” to “we.”
“To further expand the public mandate we have received and to make politics more civilized, transparent and people-friendly, all of us must show patience, sacrifice and commitment,” he wrote.
Lamichhane said that the district conventions and the upcoming national convention were not merely processes for selecting leaders but important opportunities to strengthen party life, institutional procedures, democratic practices and healthy political traditions.
“This process will provide clear direction for our future journey,” he stated.
The RSP is holding conventions in 37 districts on Saturday and 29 districts on Sunday as part of preparations for its first national general convention. Ward-level and municipal conventions have already been completed under the party’s convention process.
Emphasizing the need for capable, honest and people-oriented leadership at every level, Lamichhane said leaders should be chosen through democratic methods such as dialogue, consensus and internal elections.
He argued that adherence to democratic procedures would help the party become stronger and more mature.
“We aim to build the RSP into an advanced democratic party. For that, not only our ideas but also our conduct, behavior and political culture must be progressive,” he said. “We cannot become a new and refined people-centered political force while carrying the old mindset, style and tendencies.”
Lamichhane also cautioned against viewing temporary responsibilities assigned during the party’s formative years as permanent entitlements or expecting promotions based solely on past contributions.
He described the emergence of such tendencies within just four years of the party’s establishment as a matter of concern that must be addressed in time.
“The tendency to aggressively pursue leadership positions with the expectation of securing future parliamentary opportunities should be reduced through the convention’s democratic process,” he said.
Acknowledging the role of voters and party members in the party’s growth, Lamichhane said the RSP’s progress had been built on the foundation laid by earlier members and strengthened by the energy and participation of a new generation.
He said the party’s ambition now extends beyond being an alternative political force.
“Our goal is no longer just to be an alternative force but to become a capable political party that can lead the country,” Lamichhane stated. “To achieve that, the party must become broader, more inclusive and stronger. As the organization expands, members must abandon the narrow concern of whether they themselves will continue to hold a place within it.”
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