Kathmandu, June 23: Anxiety and frustration are mounting among delegates at the Rastriya Swatantra Party’s (RSP) general convention as the process of electing a new leadership continues to face delays.
The party had planned to conclude its closed session by Monday evening, but the session did not even begin and was postponed. Although leaders had announced that proceedings would start on Tuesday morning, uncertainty remains over when the session will actually commence and when the election process will move forward.
A major point of concern is the absence of nearly 90 delegates from Madhesh Province. Under the party statute, Madhesh was expected to send 586 representatives. However, as the provincial convention could not be held there, many delegates were left out of the national gathering.
The original schedule called for the closed session to begin at 8 am on Monday, followed by leadership selection after lunch. However, prolonged discussions aimed at forging consensus have pushed back the process, making it unlikely that voting will take place before Tuesday afternoon.
Delegates have also been discussing reports that party chairperson Rabi Lamichhane and senior leader and Prime Minister Balen Shah spent much of Monday in discussions over leadership selection, while representatives waited inside the convention hall amid intense heat.
As the convention drags on, speculation has intensified. Some delegates believe that after the presentation of all key reports during the closed session, Lamichhane may announce a consensus-based leadership team instead of taking the party through a full electoral contest.
According to this assessment, the chairperson’s political report, the organizational report by General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti, and the financial, disciplinary and election commission reports are expected to be presented before any leadership announcement is made.
With many farmer delegates having spent three days in Sauraha during the busy planting season, discussions about a consensus leadership model have gained momentum. Some party members have even interpreted a social media post by leader Krantishikha Dhital, which read “wait and see,” as a sign of growing dissatisfaction among delegates.
Informal calculations within the party suggest that Lamichhane’s position as chairperson is almost certain, while Balen Shah is expected to emerge as senior leader. Minister Sunil Lamsal is being discussed as a possible vice chairperson candidate from the Balen camp, while Bhupdev Shah is also being mentioned for the post of general secretary.
If such arrangements materialize, many observers believe the Balen faction could secure significant influence within the party’s top leadership.
Current Vice Chairperson and Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle is expected to become the first ranked open category vice chairperson. Pratibha Rawal is considered a strong contender for the women’s vice chairperson position, though Sobita Gautam, Lima Adhikari and Samikshya Banskota are also reportedly in the race.
Meanwhile, leaders who recently joined the party from the Nepali Congress, CPN UML, CPN Maoist Centre and RPP are said to be uncertain about their future roles. Under the party statute, 100 central committee members are to be elected, 51 nominated and seven provincial chairpersons automatically become central committee members. However, how the final leadership structure will take shape remains unclear, leaving delegates waiting for the next developments.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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