Lingden: From the driver to the RPP chairperson
KATHMANDU: DEC. 5 – After Rajendra Lingden appeared in Parliament as a Member of Parliament, he caught the eye of many. He was directly elected from Jhapa-3.
He defeated Nepali Congress leader Krishna Sitaula in the 2074 election to the House of Representatives. Lingden was supported by the UML. UML had supported Linden by not fielding its candidate in Jhapa-3. In return, RPP had supported UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli in Jhapa-5.
Lingden is the only RPP MP elected. He was appointed DDC president of Jhapa during the direct rule of the king. He has been a staunch supporter of the monarchy in the face of Maoist obstruction and aggression. His house in Haldibari, Jhapa was set on fire and he was also attacked.
During the agitation of 2062/63, the Maoists smeard black soot to Lingden in Birtamode, Jhapa. After the house was set on fire, he was displaced to Birtamode. He drove from Jhapa to Dharan for many years. He bought his own car and drove it himself.
After selling the house of Birtamode, he repaired his ancestral house in Goldhap, Haldibari village of Jhapa and repaired the house set on fire by the Maoists and returned there.
Political journey
Lingden was born on 2022 BS, Bhadra 22 in Dhungesaghu, Taplejung. Although his father’s job in the police service was in Jhapa, he was born in Dhungesaghu but spent his childhood in Jhapa. He has a master’s degree in political science and history and joined the Nationalist Independent Students’ Union in 2036 BS.
Later, the National Democratic Students’ Organization was formed, with Lingden as its founding president. Linggden’s team was accused of killing campus student Ram Thapa in 2046. He became the founding president of the National Democratic Students’ Organization formed by RPP.
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Even though democracy was established in 2046 BS, the voice of RPP was loud. On the other hand, Lingden’s influence in Jhapa began to grow as he was the chairperson of the student union. For the same reason, in the local election of 2049 BS, Ward Chairperson was elected in Goldhap of Jhapa. Lingden was also elected as the Ward Chairperson in the local elections of 2054 BS.
Coincidentally, Lingden had become the party secretary in Jhapa in 2049 BS even though he was the chairperson of the students’ union in 2049 BS.
Lingden had expanded his influence in Jhapa after being elected as the party chairperson in the capacity of party secretary. Due to which, RPP became the central member of Nepal in 2066 BS. Lingden, who started politics from the Nationalist Independent Students’ Union led by Kamal Thapa, was made a central member of RPP-Nepal under Thapa’s leadership in 2066. In 2070, Lingden became the General Secretary of RPP.
