Kathmandu, 13 March: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is set to amend its statute to allow senior leader Balendra Shah to be elected as the Parliamentary Party (PP) leader, thereby opening the path for his appointment as Prime Minister. The RSP is preparing to amend the provision in its statute which states that general members of the party should elect the PP leader.
The amendment concerns the provision related to the election of the Parliamentary Party leader under Article 66 of the Rastriya Swatantra Party Statute, 2079. The RSP is moving to amend this statute provision as it was not implemented in 2079 and cannot be implemented in the future either. With the RSP’s parliamentary party having 182 members in the 275-member House of Representatives, the President will appoint Shah as Prime Minister after he is selected as the PP leader.
According to RSP leaders, party Chairman Ravi Lamichhane and Senior Leader Shah are in continuous discussion regarding issues including the selection of proportional representation lawmakers and the statute amendment. Lamichhane, who has been unwell since the election, is resting. According to his secretariat, he went to Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj on Thursday for a follow-up. Lamichhane is receiving medication through a cannula. “Although doctors advised bed rest, the chairman is continuously discussing the formation of the government and other matters with Senior Leader Shah and others,” a member of the secretariat said.
According to lawmaker Shishir Khanal, elected from Kathmandu-6, discussions are underway to amend the statute by calling secretariat and central committee meetings, in consultation with the party’s top leadership. “The statutory provision was not used in 2079 either. The PP leader was elected by the MPs themselves. As there is no possibility of it being used this time either, preparations are underway to amend it and select the party leader,” he said.
Provision regarding the election of a Parliamentary Party leader exists in Section 25 of the Political Parties Act, 2073. “As directed by the concerned party, the members of the parliamentary party in the Federal Parliament or Provincial Assembly shall elect one from amongst themselves as the leader of the parliamentary party,” the Act states. The Act, which clearly states that only MPs can select the PP leader, provides that the remaining election process will be as mentioned in the statute of the concerned party.
Article 66 of the RSP Statute, 2079, states that a House of Representatives Parliamentary Party will be formed, with every member elected to the Federal Parliament being a member of the parliamentary party. It mentions that the party will have one Parliamentary Party leader, one deputy leader, one chief whip, one whip, and one treasurer. The Political Parties Act has a provision allowing the party leader to nominate the deputy leader, whip, or member secretary.
