RSP running from pillar to post lobbying for party’s Chair’s release

Vice Chair seeks meeting opportunity with Foreign Minister Rana

KATHMANDU, Oct 30: Vice Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Dol Prasad Aryal has requested a meeting with Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba as continues running from pillar to post lobbying for party Chair Rabi Lamichhane’s release.

RSP Vice Chairman Aryal is currently lobbying the government to secure the release of Party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane, who was arrested on October 18 in connection with a cooperative fraud case. Earlier on Monday, he met with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.

Meanwhile, it has come to light that Aryal sought to meet with Foreign Minister Rana, who is also the wife of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, on Tuesday.

A photo has surfaced showing Aryal messaging Minister Rana's personal secretary, Kamal Rawal, on mobile requesting a meeting time.

In the photo, Aryal’s phone screen is visible, showing Aryal typing a message to Minister Rana’s personal secretary. However, Aryal's face is not visible.

The message box on the screen shows a message written in English letters: "Kamal Ji, I am DP Aryal. Please arrange a short meeting time with the Minister." The photo appears to have been taken by someone accompanying Aryal and has possibly been made viral on social media. Currently, this message is widely circulating on social media.

Republica’s attempt to confirm whether the message was indeed from the RSP Vice Chairman Aryal were unsuccessful, as he could not be reached. However, the secretariat of Minister Rana has confirmed that Aryal had sent a text message requesting for a meeting with the minister.

The request for a meeting with the minister was true, Minister Rana's secretariat confirmed. "Since pre-scheduled programs were already in place for Tuesday, a meeting was not possible." The secretariat added that when a senior leader of the fourth largest party in the House of Representatives seeks a meeting, the minister is willing to meet." The purpose of the meeting will be known once they meet. When a respected member of parliament and former minister wishes to meet, it is uncustomary to refuse. Today, it was just a matter of prior commitments of the minister," stated the secretariat. According to sources, Vice Chairman Aryal sent the message on Tuesday afternoon.