Kathmandu, 14 March: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has called a secretariat meeting to discuss, among other matters, the selection of candidates elected under the proportional representation (PR) system and amendments to the party statute. The secretariat meeting has been called for Saturday following discussions between party chairman Ravi Lamichhane and senior leader Balendra Shah.
The RSP is preparing to finalize the list of those becoming members of parliament through the PR system and to amend the provision in the party statute regarding the election of the parliamentary party leader. This will be done by calling a central committee meeting immediately after the secretariat meeting. The RSP has secured 57 seats under the proportional representation system. On Thursday, the Election Commission wrote to political parties, instructing them to submit the list of those who will become members of parliament under the proportional representation system by Sunday.
RSP spokesperson Manish Jha stated that the time and venue for the secretariat meeting have not yet been finalized. “Following the party chairman’s directive, the secretariat meeting will be held on Saturday. The time and venue of the meeting will be decided considering the chairman’s health condition,” he said. RSP Chairman Lamichhane is on bed rest as per his doctor’s advice. According to Jha, the secretariat meeting will recommend the names of candidates elected under the proportional representation system.
Discussions took place between Chairman Lamichhane and senior leader Shah before the secretariat meeting was called. Senior leader Shah had visited Chairman Lamichhane at his home on Thursday. RSP co-spokesperson Pratibha Rawal informed that discussions between the two leaders regarding party matters are ongoing. She said, “Meetings and discussions between the party chairman and the senior leader are taking place regularly.”
The RSP had contested the election having declared senior leader Shah as its future prime minister. The RSP won 182 seats in the House of Representatives election. Leaders close to them have stated that RSP Chairman Lamichhane and senior leader Shah, whose party won nearly two-thirds of the seats in the House of Representatives, have been in communication through both in-person meetings and phone calls. Spokesperson Jha stated, “Chairman Lamichhane and senior leader Shah have discussed the upcoming processes; informal discussions are ongoing between them.”
According to leaders, Lamichhane and Shah held discussions for approximately two hours on Thursday morning. During that time, discussions covered the process for selecting the parliamentary party leader, the process of government formation, and the expansion of the cabinet after the government is formed. Those leaders said they also discussed issues appearing in public media regarding ministers and other appointments.
The RSP is planning to amend the provision related to the election of the parliamentary party leader contained in Article 66 of the party statute. Article 66 (8) of the statute allows general members of the party to vote in the election for the parliamentary party leader. Sub-article 8 (a) of Article 66 states, “Prior to the federal election, an election for the House of Representatives parliamentary party leader shall be held among interested candidates who have been selected as candidates for the federal election from the party under the proportional representation and direct systems. All general members of the party shall be eligible to vote in the election (for the party leader).”
The statute is also being amended because the provision allowing not only RSP MPs but also general members to vote in the parliamentary party leader election conflicts with Section 25 of the Political Parties Act, 2073. The Act stipulates, “Members of the parliamentary party of the federal parliament or provincial assembly shall, in accordance with the directive of their respective party, elect one from amongst themselves as the leader of the parliamentary party.”
Following the statute amendment, the RSP will elect senior leader Shah as the leader of the parliamentary party. Subsequently, President Ramchandra Paudel will appoint him as Prime Minister. Since the RSP has a clear majority in the House of Representatives, the President will appoint the leader of that party as Prime Minister. Article 76 (1) of the constitution states, “The President shall appoint the leader of the parliamentary party that commands a majority in the House of Representatives as the Prime Minister, and the Council of Ministers shall be formed under their chairpersonship.”
