KATHMANDU: Former Energy Minister Kulman Ghising has been appointed as the chairman of Ujyalo Nepal Party. The decision was made during the party’s central committee meeting on Saturday.
Ghising, who previously served as the party’s patron, had announced a merger with the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) two weeks ago. However, the agreement fell apart on Saturday, paving the way for his formal leadership of Ujyalo Nepal.
The merger had faced obstacles after discussions between RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane and Ghising on Friday and Saturday ended without a resolution. Sources say the breakdown occurred over disagreements on party ideology, proportional representation, and organizational structure.
Ghising had earlier resigned from three ministries – Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation – amid criticism of his party representation in the government led by Sushila Karki. On December 29, 2025, Ghising and Lamichhane had reached an agreement to unite their parties, which included making Ghising the vice-chairman of RSP.
However, Ghising demanded changes to RSP’s ideology, calling for a shift from a democratic to a leftist framework, and requested 33 central committee members, a senior vice-chairman, and one general secretary position. He also proposed adopting socialism as the party’s guiding ideology.
Despite efforts by Sudan Gurung to mediate the unification from Bouddha, ideological differences escalated, leading to the collapse of the agreement. With the RSP merger no longer viable, Ghising is now set to lead Ujyalo Nepal Party independently and focus on strengthening its organization.
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