KATHMANDU, April 12: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has taken action against its lawmaker Dhaka Kumar Shrestha, who was elected under Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system, on charge of demanding Rs 20 million from a controversial medical entrepreneur Durga Prasain.

A meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) held on Wednesday decided to expel Shrestha as an ordinary member of the party. Along with this, Shrestha is automatically relieved from his position as a lawmaker.

RSP leaders said the party is preparing to elect Bindawasini Kansakar as the party’s lawmaker in the place of Dr Shrestha.

The audio of Shrestha demanding Rs 20 million from B&C Medical College owner Prasain was released on Sunday. In the conversation that reportedly took place in January, Shrestha had asked for Rs 20 million from Prasai, saying that he was going to become the health minister and that he would have to submit the amount to the party’s core team.

After this audio was released, the Disciplinary Committee of RSP sought clarification from Shrestha. He was also called and interrogated in the party’s Central Committee meeting on Wednesday.

In the meeting, RSP President Rabi Lamichhane said that Shrestha did not own the audio. "In the investigation conducted by the party, that audio belongs to him. This provides enough grounds to take action against him,” he said.

Lamichhane also accused Shrestha of repeatedly changing his bid and standing in bargaining with the party leadership. "He demanded the party not to take action and he has even threatened if the party decided to take action,” he said.

 
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