Rastriya Swatantra Party Vice-Chair DP Aryal Elected Unopposed as 10th Speaker of the House of Representatives

Kathmandu. Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Vice-Chair Dol Prasad (DP) Aryal has been elected unopposed as the 10th Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives. He was elected unopposed after being the sole candidate during the nomination registration held at the Parliament Secretariat in Singha Durbar on Friday.

The formal announcement of Aryal's election will be made by senior member Arjun Narsingh KC during the House of Representatives meeting on Sunday. He was elected from Kathmandu-9 in the House of Representatives election held on Falgun 21. Aryal secured victory with 35,093 votes, while his closest rival, Nani Maiya Bastola of the Congress, received 5,460 votes.

Having won a near two-thirds majority, the RSP has already formed a single-majority government under the leadership of senior leader Balendra Shah. Aryal, a former Minister of Labour, was in the race to become the Home Minister in the powerful government formed under his party's leadership. Party Chair Rabi Lamichhane wanted to appoint him as Home Minister to keep him in an executive role, as he had saved the party during adverse conditions. However, senior leader Balen insisted on appointing his close associate Sunil Lamsal as Home Minister. After failing to reach a consensus on whether to appoint Aryal or Lamsal as Home Minister, Balen put forward Sudhan Gurung. After Gurung became the Home Minister in the Balen government, Aryal succeeded in becoming the Speaker. RSP leaders have clarified that the party put him forward as Speaker due to his polite demeanor, political acumen, and ability to play a coordinating role.

However, with his appointment as Speaker, Aryal's active political career will face a break of at least five years. There is a constitutional provision that one cannot hold party affiliation after being elected Speaker.

Who is Speaker Aryal?

Born in 2032 BS into a farming family in Jwalamukhi Rural Municipality (formerly Maidi VDC) of Dhading, Aryal entered Kathmandu after 2049 BS in search of employment. Aryal initially worked as a common laborer in a restaurant. In 2053 BS, he went to Japan for foreign employment.

Aryal worked in Japan for about 8 years. After returning from Japan, he entered the tourism profession. Upon returning to Nepal, he became active by investing in tourism, consultancy services for foreign studies, cooperatives, and the education sector simultaneously. He invested in Sumire Tours and Travels, Yokohama Japanese Language Academy, HEMS School, Jansagar Savings and Credit Cooperative, and Easy Link Remittance, contributing to job creation and foreign currency inflow. Aryal even served as the CEO of Easy Link Remittance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aryal showed active involvement in distributing oxygen cylinders and providing relief and rescue. He has been active in the tourism and cooperative sectors for about two decades and has been directly involved in remittance services for about 15 years. Having served as the Chairman of Jansagar Savings and Credit Cooperative, Aryal also worked as a director at Sumire Tours and Travels, HEMS School, and Yokohama Japanese Language Academy.

Then he turned to politics

Before 2079 BS, Aryal was not openly associated with any political party. However, he played an active role in social service alongside his business. In 2074 BS, while looking for supporters to build a hospital in Kalikot, Aryal connected with the famous television presenter Rabi Lamichhane. At that time, he was operating Easy Link Remittance, a company for Nepalis living abroad to send money.

Aryal played a significant role in the construction of Raskot Community Hospital. After Aryal, Rabi, and Dr. Mukul Dhakal became involved in the hospital construction campaign, they concluded that an alternative political party should be formed to improve Nepal's 'distorted' political system. Accordingly, with the declaration to improve the country's political situation, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was announced in Ashar 2079 BS under Lamichhane's leadership. Aryal became the Vice-Chair in the party led by Rabi. Within five months of the party's establishment, he became a member of the House of Representatives for the first time from the proportional list following the general election.

Aryal became the Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security on Magh 2, 2079 BS, under the leadership of then Prime Minister Prachanda. After receiving the responsibility of Labour Minister, he stated that he would work in favor of workers at home and abroad. Aryal committed to working to create employment within the country as much as possible and to create an environment where people only go for foreign employment under compulsory circumstances.

However, because the Supreme Court ordered on Magh 13 that Chair Rabi was not eligible to be a member of the House of Representatives, the RSP left the government on Magh 22. Aryal had to leave the government within 20 days of becoming a minister. On Falgun 23, 2080 BS, Aryal became the Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security for the second time. After KP Oli became Prime Minister on Ashar 31, 2081 BS, through the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML coalition, the RSP left the government. Aryal served as a minister for four months and 28 days in total over two terms.

Since its establishment, the RSP has had to face many legal and political hurdles. While facing legal trouble regarding the party's name and election symbol, serious charges such as dual citizenship, passport cases, cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering were leveled against Chair Rabi. Following the recommendation of the high-level investigation committee formed by the parliament, Rabi was arrested on Kartik 2, 2081 BS. After the Chair went to jail for trial per the order of the Kaski District Court, the responsibility of managing the party fell on Aryal's shoulders.

Aryal also took on the responsibility of making the party, parliament, and street fronts effective. When the party's very existence was in crisis due to internal contradictions after Rabi went to jail, the increasing trend of people leaving the party, and continuous state repression, Aryal saved it with wisdom. After Rabi was released from Nakkhu Jail during the Gen-Z movement in Bhadra, there was a huge attack on the party and its leadership.

Rabi was accused of causing prisoners across the country to escape. When the party and leadership were under attack from all sides, Aryal played a positive role in coordinating and uniting with Bibeksheel Sajha, then-Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Balen Shah, the Tharuhat/Tharuwan group, and various Gen-Z groups. Rabi openly praised Aryal for the role he played in saving the party.

The same Aryal has now reached the position of leading the House of Representatives upon the proposal of Rabi Lamichhane himself. Since there is a single-majority government of the RSP, it seems it will be easier for him to work, but there is a challenge in playing a coordinating role in constitutional amendments and the formulation of laws related to the implementation of federalism.