KATHMANDU: Three former chairmen of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have issued a joint statement expressing serious dissatisfaction with the party leadership’s working style following their boycott of the party’s recent Central Working Committee meeting.
In the five-point statement, former party chiefs Pashupati Shamsher Rana, Prakash Chandra Lohani and Kamal Thapa said they decided to clarify the reasons behind their absence from the meeting held in Kathmandu on June 19 and 20, citing concerns raised by party members and supporters.
The leaders accused the party of long-standing institutional irregularities, narrow-minded decision-making, violations of party procedures, and what they described as arbitrary and biased disciplinary actions.
According to the statement, disciplinary measures have increasingly been imposed on party leaders and cadres based on prejudice and retaliation rather than organizational principles. The former chairmen said their absence from the meeting was intended as a symbolic protest against such practices.
They also objected to the participation of individuals outside the Central Committee in the meeting, arguing that the trend undermines established party procedures.
Calling for efforts to restore trust and unity within the party, the leaders proposed the formation of a high-level steering committee under the coordination of party chairman Rajendra Lingden, with former chairmen included as members.
However, they expressed disappointment that instead of embracing constructive suggestions, some responsible party figures had chosen to level accusations and criticism against former leaders who had devoted their lives to the party.
Despite boycotting the meeting, the former chairmen welcomed the decision to hold the party’s national convention from December 12.
They also urged the party to follow established practice by automatically transforming the current Central Committee into a convention organizing committee following the announcement of the convention date.
“Our concern is neither personal interest, the pursuit of positions, nor factional politics. Our only concern is that we do not witness the weakening or decline of the party during our lifetime,” the statement said.
The leaders stressed that the upcoming convention must be free, fair, and transparent, arguing that it should strengthen the party’s vision of democracy based on a Hindu state and constitutional monarchy.
They also expressed confidence that the convention would be conducted impartially and called on former members who had left the party in disappointment to return to the RPP, while urging cadres to prepare for the convention with renewed enthusiasm and commitment.
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