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🇳🇵 Nepal /Elections & Politics

Delegate dispute delays RSP closed session, leadership vote

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Hundreds of Rastriya Swatantra Party delegates faced a five-hour delay in Chitwan due to a dispute over delegate selection for a leadership vote.
  • The closed session was postponed as tensions escalated over proposals to add delegates from recent party mergers.
  • Delegates expressed frustration over poor management and the inability to cast their votes after traveling long distances.

Hundreds of delegates for Nepal's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) endured a sweltering day in Chitwan, waiting for hours as a planned closed session to elect new leadership was repeatedly postponed. The session, crucial for selecting teammates for party leaders Rabi Lamichhane and Balendra Shah, was stalled due to a dispute over delegate selection.

I came here thinking this was an opportunity to select the right teammates for Rabi Lamichhane and Balendra Shah. I came to vote for a new leadership, but after waiting all day, I didn’t even get the chance.

— Paraswar KandelA delegate expressing his disappointment after hours of waiting for the postponed session.

Paraswar Kandel, a delegate from Baglung, traveled to the convention hoping to vote but spent five hours waiting in 36-degree Celsius heat. Like many others, he expressed frustration over the disorganization and the inability to participate in the democratic process. Delegates blamed poor management and factional politics for the prolonged delay and lack of updates.

There wasn’t even a functional secretariat desk to provide updates. Nobody gave us any answers. This is nothing but harassment.

— A delegate from KavreDescribing the poor management and lack of communication during the delay.

Party insiders revealed the deadlock stemmed from a proposal to add over 800 delegates to accommodate recent mergers, including those led by senior leader Shah and factions from the Bibeksheel Sajha Party and the Tharuhat/Tharuwan movement. This dispute deepened tensions within the party.

These issues should have been sorted out well in advance. Because it was left to the last minute, everyone had to suffer in this extreme heat.

— An RSP lawmaker from Koshi provinceCriticizing the party's logistical shortcomings.

Chairman Lamichhane and senior leader Shah held a private meeting to resolve the differences. However, by late afternoon, with the session still not convened, exhausted delegates began resting in the nomination hall, which had become a makeshift dormitory. The party's central election committee formally announced the postponement of the day's proceedings late in the evening.

We came here to vote, and we will stay until we do. But waiting in this heat has been incredibly draining.

— Ramesh AdhikariA delegate vowing to stay until the voting process begins despite the difficult conditions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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