CHITWAN: Frustration among delegates at the Rastriya Swatantra Party’s (RSP) first general convention has intensified as delays and disputes over delegate selection continue to overshadow the event.
Tensions flared at the convention venue after several attendees claimed they had not received delegate accreditation despite participating in party activities and arriving for the gathering. The situation triggered protests and slogan-shouting, with delegates accusing the leadership of promoting factional politics.
Several participants alleged that internal divisions between supporters of party chairperson Ravi Lamichhane and senior leader and PM Balendra Shah had begun influencing decisions on delegate representation.
“Should we carry Balen’s photo or Rabi’s photo?” one angry delegate asked during the gathering. “Whom are we supposed to follow? We came here to save the RSP and contribute to building the country.”
The delegate, who said he had participated in the September 2025 movement, accused the party leadership of abandoning the principles that had attracted many young activists to the party.
“We still carry scars from bullets and injuries sustained during the movement,” he said. “This is not how the RSP can build the country. A list of delegates has been published, but many of us have been deliberately excluded. The party cannot function this way.”
Another delegate expressed disappointment, saying the RSP was beginning to resemble the very political parties it once criticized.
“We are not like the UML or the Congress,” he said. “How can people travel all the way here only to return without participating? If the party operates like this, how can it claim it will transform the country?”
He argued that those attending the convention expected to exercise their voting rights and participate in shaping the party’s future leadership.
“Many members are angry because their names are missing from the delegate list. If we have come here, we should have the right to vote. The party must ensure that everyone feels represented,” he said.
Delegates also warned against dividing positions and opportunities based on loyalty to particular leaders.
“No one should be excluded because of factional calculations,” another participant said. “If people are denied the opportunity to vote, there will be resistance. This party was built collectively. If it starts following the same practices as traditional parties, members will not accept it.”
The unrest highlights growing concerns within the RSP over transparency, representation and internal democracy at a convention that was expected to showcase party unity ahead of leadership elections. As leaders work to finalize the delegate list and launch the closed session, managing dissatisfaction among grassroots members has emerged as one of the convention’s biggest challenges.
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