Who will lead Rastriya Swatantra Party now?

KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President and Member of Parliament Rabi Lamichhane has been suspended from his position as a Member of the House of Representatives following the registration of a case against him under money laundering charges.

Through a notice issued by Secretary General Padma Prasad Pandey, the Parliament Secretariat confirmed Lamichhane’s suspension as per Section 22 of the Money Laundering Act until the case is resolved.

Lamichhane is also facing charges related to cooperative fraud and organized crime.

He represents Chitwan in the House of Representatives and serves as the parliamentary party leader of RSP.

In an emergency virtual meeting held on Monday afternoon, the RSP Secretariat appointed Vice-President Dol Prasad (DP) Aryal as the party’s acting president.

Internal Power Struggles in RSP?

Reports suggest escalating internal power struggles within the party, with factions allegedly led by Vice-Presidents Dr. Swarnim Waglé and DP Aryal.

Waglé is reportedly supported by MPs such as Manish Jha, Sobita Gautam, and Shishir Khanal, while Aryal’s core team includes figures like Deepak Bohara. Meanwhile, MPs like Sumana Shrestha and Biraj Bhakta Shrestha are seen advocating for a unified approach, avoiding factionalism.

Chief Whip Santosh Pariyar stated that the party did not anticipate the situation to escalate to this level. Previously, some RSP leaders had expressed that Lamichhane was irreplaceable and the sole leader of the party.

Currently, Aryal and Waglé are the vice-presidents of the party, with Biraj Bhakta Shrestha serving as the deputy parliamentary leader.

The party is also managing other responsibilities under interim arrangements. After disciplinary action against founding General Secretary and Spokesperson Dr. Mukul Dhakal, Kavindra Burlakoti, a joint secretary, has taken charge as acting general secretary.

Similarly, Manish Jha is functioning as the acting spokesperson.

Timeline of Events Following Rabi Lamichhane’s Arrest

Kartik 2: Arrested from the Rastriya Swatantra Party’s central office in Kathmandu and transferred to Pokhara.
Kartik 4: Kaski District Court grants six days of custody for investigation from the day of arrest.
Kartik 8: Custody extended by seven more days in Kaski.
Kartik 20: Custody extended for an additional 10 days in Kaski.
Kartik 25: Fourth extension granted in Kaski, adding 13 more days.
Transferred from Pokhara to Bhairahawa for statements.
Mangsir 9: Fifth extension granted in Kaski, adding 15 more days.
Mangsir 13: Taken from Pokhara to Kathmandu for further statements.
Mangsir 18: Transferred from Kathmandu to Chitwan for additional statements.
Mangsir 23: Sixth custody extension in Kaski for four more days.
Mangsir 24: Moved from Pokhara to Parsa for investigation.
Mangsir 25: Statement recorded in Parsa.