KATHMANDU, Dec 24: The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and RPP Nepal have agreed to merge, a move expected to reshape Nepal’s conservative political landscape ahead of the House of Representatives elections.
RPP Chair Rajendra Lingden and RPP Nepal Chair Kamal Thapa signed an agreement formalising the unification on Wednesday. The official announcement of the merger will be made on December 31 at the Rastriya Sabha Griha in Kathmandu.
RPP, RPP-N initiate unity discussion to push forward the agenda...
RPP spokesperson Mohan Shrestha said the two sides had reached an understanding to move forward together as the election date draws closer.
The decision was taken at a meeting held on Wednesday at the RPP central office in Dhumbarahi, where leaders from both factions agreed to unite in view of the changing political circumstances. Thapa had left the RPP after being defeated in the party’s last general convention.
Thapa quit the party in February 2022, citing ideological deviation. At the time, he said his efforts to correct what he described as wrong tendencies within the party had not been heeded, prompting his departure. Following his defeat at the party’s general convention in late December 2021, Thapa—also a former RPP chair—went on to form a separate political party.
He had then accused former King Gyanendra Shah of interfering in the party’s convention election process, alleging that such interference led to his defeat in the chairperson race. Thapa had demanded an investigation into the former king’s role and called for concrete steps to prevent similar interference in the future.
After forming a separate party, Thapa later contested elections in Makwanpur in alliance with the CPN-UML.
