KATHMANDU, Dec 27: An intense competition has emerged within the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) for the position of leader of the Parliamentary Party (PP) after Chairman Rabi Lamichhane was suspended from his role as a Member of Parliament (MP) following charges of cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering.
The RSP has already appointed Vice Chairman Dol Prasad Aryal as the acting Chairman following the suspension of Chairman Lamichhane. However, the party is yet to name its PP leader.
Chief Whip Santosh Pariyar stated that this issue will be discussed in the Secretariat meeting being held on Friday. "Today's meeting will discuss this matter in detail. However, it is not formally on the agenda," said Pariyar.
Rabi Lamichhane elected as RSP’s PP leader
Four individuals have put forward their claims to become the RSP’s PP leader. These include Acting Chairman Aryal, Vice Chairman Dr Swarnim Wagle, former deputy PP leader Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, and former Education Minister Sumana Shrestha.
Leaders within the party have suggested that either Dr Wagle or Biraj Bhakta Shrestha will likely be selected as the PP leader. It is also said that this aligns with the preference of Chairman Lamichhane.
Lamichhane, who promoted Deputy Chairman Dol Prasad Aryal as the acting Chairman, is reportedly seeking to balance the situation by backing Dr Wagle as the PP leader.
However, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, the former deputy PP leader, has also put forward a strong claim for the position. A leader from the party said, "It will definitely be one of them. Based on the current scenario, the decision will be made within a few days."
Lawmaker Sumana Shrestha, the former Education Minister, has also expressed her interest in leading the parliamentary party of the RSP. She is reported to have sent a message to the party's social media group, requesting support for her candidacy.
Of the candidates vying for the position of parliamentary party leader, only Dr Wagle and Biraj Bhakta Shrestha are directly elected members of parliament. Dol Prasad Aryal and Sumana Shrestha became MP through proportional representation. Some leaders within the party have argued that proportional representation MPs should not be chosen as the PP leader.
