Political Commentary
By P.R. Pradhan
Rajendra Lingden, the only MP in the House of Representatives from the Rashtriya Prajatanta Party, has astonished the Nepali political spectrum by defeating a heavyweight candidate to the post of chair of RPP.
It was not an easy task for Lingden and Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolis mayor Dhawal Shumsher Rana’s team to secure a victory on the fort developed by chairman Kamal Thapa, however, they made it possible.
Along with the victory of Lingden to the post of the party chairman, in other political parties which are captured by those octogenarian leaders for decades and for years, the next generation leaders have started to talk about the leadership change.
RPP is the party carrying the agenda of restoration of the Hindu Kingdom by scrapping the present status of federalism, secularism and republicanism. Nevertheless, RPP is not the party or branch of the Indian BJP, which is trying to impose Hindutva by eliminating Muslims and other religions in India. RPP, along with the reinstatement of the Hindu Kingdom, wants to protect other religions. That’s why Nepali Muslims feel safe during the rule of the Hindu monarch, whereas, in India, people from other religions are scared of the Hindutva which has defamed the Hindu religion.
Both Lingden chairman and Rana who is elected to the post of general secretary, are people-based leaders. Lingden was able to defeat NC’s heavyweight leader Krishna Shitaula in one constituency in Jhapa, during the election of the member of the House of Representatives, whereas, Rana is the mayor of the Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolises highly dominated by the Muslim population. This indicates that how Rana has become able to win the confidence of the Muslim community in his city!
Kamal Thapa, who was leading the party for years, is defeated by around 200 votes from Lingden. Earlier, Thapa was confident in his victory. Immediately after the election result, Thapa, in a tweet, had blamed the Nirmal Niwas for being responsible for his defeat.
However, instead of getting sympathy for his tweet, the followers had criticized Thapa’s immature attitude after the defeat. On the other hand, his followers had expressed happiness on change of the guard that too by a son of Limbu, whereas, the entire politics is dominated mostly by Bhahmans and then the Chhetries.
Be that as it may, the prime responsibility of Lingden is to keep the party united by respecting all his seniors. Lingden has expressed the view that he will lift the party as an alternative force from the upcoming elections. To achieve this goal, he should be able to unify all other small groups lauding for the Hindu Kingdom.
The benefit for the RPP leadership is that all the sections in the society have become fade up from the present political anomalies, down-trading of the economy and political leaders’ irresponsible activities. The Nepali people are seeking an end of present anomalies and they are seeking an honest and strong statesman to lead yet another people’s movement against the present anti-people, anti-nation but pro-leader political system.
Lingden, by unifying all the frustrated forces and also the pro-nation people, may lead the movement by sacrificing immediate political gains, nepotism, favouritism and sycophancy. There is an opportunity for Lingden to emerge as a statesman, whether he wishes or not.
And Kamal Thapa, who has dedicated and contributed a lot to the party, instead of expressing anger against anyone, should perform a mature role as a guardian in the party. As Lingden has said that he will continue to respect and adjust all his seniors in the party, let Thapa play the role for achieving the party mission!
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