Rastriya Swatantra Party Karnali Province Holds First Convention

Surkhet. Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Karnali Province's first convention is being held on Saturday. Preparations for the convention, organized at Shubh Hotel in the provincial capital Birendranagar, are almost in the final stage, said RSP Karnali Province Chairman Madan Khadka.

'The convention will be held in a first and historic manner, and our preparations are extensive for it,' he told Ratopati.

In the first-ever convention, a tug-of-war is ongoing among 5 individuals for the leadership of Karnali Province.

According to sources, current Chairman Madan Khadka, Treasurer Sneha Upadhyay, Prem Bahadur Bohora, Nandakishor Basnet (NK), and Man Bahadur Shahi are contenders for the chairmanship.

Sources told Ratopati that all four of these individuals are lobbying their respective parties at the center.

Among the 5 individuals, Bohora, Basnet, and Shahi have strong possibilities. Basnet from Dailekh had joined RSP from CPN UML just a few days before the February elections.

He had contested for the House of Representatives from Dailekh-1 from RSP. However, he was defeated by Congress's Basna Thapa. Nevertheless, he is a strong contender in terms of personality.

He stated that he did not remain in the central committee because RSP needs to be uplifted in Karnali.

'I am someone who has lived in Kathmandu for a long time, I came here with the intention of living in the locality, otherwise I would have stayed in the central committee,' he told Ratopati. 'I have come to Birendranagar, I am consulting with my colleagues.'

Man Bahadur Shahi from Rukum West is considered close to RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane in particular.

He joined RSP after the general elections of 2079 and became the Rukum district chairman of that party. Before that, he was in Maoist.

He has played a leading role in building the party's organization in Rukum West, the stronghold of Maoist.

'He is an engineer, an educated youth, and also a close associate of the RSP chairman, so his chances are strong,' an RSP leader told Ratopati.

Sources close to Shahi indicate that he is preparing to become the chairman, either through consensus if possible, or by contesting the election.

Similarly, Prem Bohora, an intellectual youth from Rukum West, is also seen as a potentially strong aspirant.

He was previously on the closed list from the Khas Arya category from RSP in the House of Representatives elections. Prem Bohora is a famous name in Karnali. He runs an organization in Birendranagar and is also the author of dozens of books. He was previously associated with Maoist and later with Baburam Bhattarai's Naya Shakti Party.

Sneha Upadhyay, the only woman among the chairmanship aspirants, also stated that she is preparing.

'In the previous election, the current leadership could not perform well, and the results were weak compared to other provinces,' she told Ratopati. 'Understanding everything, I felt the need to take leadership and do something.'

She also said that she is coming forward to take the provincial leadership to set an example that women can also reach the party leadership.

'I have been involved in the party since its inception, and I am capable in all aspects, including education,' she said. She is from Surkhet.

Sources say that current Chairman Madan Khadka also wants to be re-elected. However, there are widespread questions against him within the party.

In the previous general elections, he did not show much enthusiasm, did not pay attention to organizational expansion, and provincial leaders argue that he should take responsibility for the party's defeat.

'He became the chairman, but there was no plan during the election, and he could not arrange significant programs even when Balen and Rabi came to Surkhet and Achham,' a leader says. 'He sent them from Surkhet to Kathmandu. He did not give much priority to Karnali.'

Although he is the provincial chairman, questions have been raised about his leadership capacity because he remains focused mainly in Surkhet and does not pay attention to what is happening in the districts. Furthermore, a complaint has also been filed against him in the party's central disciplinary commission.

RSP's Surkhet District Co-Secretary Bhupendra Thapa has filed a complaint seeking investigation and action, accusing him of discriminating against cadres, fostering factionalism within the party, and playing a role in weakening his own leaders by spreading false information.

The party center has not yet investigated Thapa's complaint, filed on Jestha 5.

Furthermore, the Dolpa district committee has not yet been formed. Khadka stated that the district committee could not be expanded because the local level convention had not taken place in Dolpa.