Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and Swarnim Wagle are seen as the main contenders for the post
KATHMANDU, Jan 24: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has become leaderless in parliament following the suspension of former deputy prime minister and home minister and the party chairman Rabi Lamichhane’s MP post.
In the meantime, parliament has not yet convened but is expected to do so soon. President Ram Chandra Paudel has summoned a session of both houses of the federal parliament for January 29.
RSP seeks explanation from General Secretary Dhakal
The RSP is under pressure to elect a leader before that date. However, RSP’s Acting Spokesperson Pratibha Rawal stated that discussions on the matter have not yet begun. She told Republica, "Discussions on this issue have not even started yet. However, we believe it should be concluded soon."
Four MPs within the RSP have expressed their aspirations to become the party’s leader in parliament. These include current Deputy Leader Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, Acting Chairman Dol Prasad Aryal, Vice Chairman Dr Swarnim Wagle, Joint General Secretary Sumana Shrestha, and other MPs.
Among them, Biraj Bhakta and Wagle are seen as the main contenders. Some party leaders have also indicated that the leadership will not be given to a proportional representation candidate, effectively ruling out Aryal and Sumana.
Biraj Bhakta (from Kathmandu) and Wagle (from Tanahun) are the elected MPs from the party, with Biraj Bhakta considered the frontrunner. As the party’s current deputy leader in parliament, he is reportedly lobbying for the position of parliamentary leader.
On the other hand, Wagle has adopted a stance of neither actively seeking the position nor rejecting it if the party offers it to him. There are reports that Lamichhane prefers to give the leadership to Swarnim Wagle. Some also suggest that while Aryal, one of the vice chairpersons, may be made the acting president, the parliamentary leadership could go to Wagle.
However, Deputy Leader Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has made it clear that he will not step down. Acting General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti, on the other hand, emphasized that the leader will be chosen by consensus. "In our party, all decisions are made unanimously, except for a few. We also make decisions on the parliamentary party leader striking a balance and through consensus," he said.
