RPP faction appoints Chand chairman

KATHMANDU, Sept 6: Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has split as a faction led by Lokendra Bahadur Chand informed the Election Commission on Sunday that the majority of the party's central committee decided to remove Pashupati SJB Rana from the post of chairman and appoint Chand as the chairman. The Rana-faction however has claimed that Rana is the rightful chairman.

According to the party's Joint General Secretary Parshuram Khapung, 61 members of the 103-member central committee have supported the decision to remove Rana from party chair and appoint Chand to the position. "We have submitted signatures of all 61 central committee members who have supported the decision. As we have majority, we are now the official RPP," said Khapung.As Chand-led faction moved the Election Commission, Chairman Rana has decided to suspend 15 central committee members, who were appointed by the party chairman in the committee.

Meanwhile, Rana has also recalled Commerce and Supply Minister Sunil Bahadur Thapa, who represents the party in the coalition government. Thapa, the son of former chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa, has left the Rana camp and supported Chand for chairmanship.

Chand is supported by leaders like Thapa, Khapung, Prakash Chandra Lohani, Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan and parliamentarians like Bikram Pandey, Jayant Chand, Aanandi Panta while Rana is supported by leaders like Deepak Bohora, Buddiman Tamang, Bhuwan Pathak.

"Rana was appointed chairman by the central committee only after Surya Bahadur Thapa resigned from the position. As per our party's statute, the central committee could not remove chairman," claimed Buddiman Tamang.

However, Chand-faction claimed that the decision to appoint Chand as chairman was nothing new and they had just implemented the decision of the last general assembly. "During the convention leaders Surya Bahadur Thapa, Chand, Rana and Lohani had forged a consensus to lead the party on the rotation and the convention had endorsed it. It is only the execution of the decision," said Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan.

Earlier, Thapa had handed over the party leadership to Rana around a year and a half ago amidst similar controversy.

According to central committee leader Bharat Chand, more members are ready to support Chand as chairman and they would submit more signatures to the Election Commission soon.

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