Rastriya Swatantra Party Lawmakers Accused of Party Takeover in Madhesh Province

Kathmandu. District-level leaders have accused lawmakers of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), who entered politics to change the country's situation, of trying to capture the party in Madhesh Province.< /p>

In Madhesh, which has eight districts, conventions have been postponed except in Parsa. They complain that the district and provincial conventions have been postponed because the Members of Parliament, elected in February, interfered to make their favored individuals the chairman.< /p>

Low-level leaders are accusing the organization of being in disarray due to extreme factionalism within the party, ethnic and community thinking, and interference from federal lawmakers.< /p>

In Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Saptari, Mahottari, and Dhanusha, bilateral disputes escalated into physical altercations. They accuse Provincial Chairman Tapeshwor Yadav and other lawmakers of direct interference for this situation. Sundeshwar Yadav, head of the Madhesh Province Policy and Publicity Department, accused central spokesperson Manish Jha of harassment. He complained that an unpleasant situation arose in Dhanusha due to the direct interference of spokesperson Jha.< /p>

'Leaders are being pitted against each other, appeased, and their responsibilities are being snatched. My admin has also been taken away and given to General Secretary Manish Sah (Provincial General Secretary). There is a lot of ethnic conflict in Dhanusha. The convention has been postponed due to Spokesperson Manish Jha,' he complained to Ratopati.< /p>

Saptari District Chairman Dombar Narayan Sah Teli claimed that the problem arose because the lawmakers had their own candidates. He complained that he spent two lakh rupees for the convention. He accuses the convention of being postponed due to the direct interference of Ramji Yadav, the elected Member of Parliament from Saptari-2 and currently the Labor Minister.< /p>

Teli said, 'I spent two lakh rupees for the convention. In the end, the convention was postponed. The district committee decided to make Ramkrishna Yadav the chairman, but the convention was postponed due to the interference of Shambhu Yadav and Labor Minister Ramji Yadav. All the honorable members have their own factions. The dispute has not been resolved because they are trying to bring in individuals favorable to them.'< /p>

It is understood that Shambhu Kumar Yadav, elected from Siraha 3, and Labor Minister Ramji Yadav are son-in-law and father-in-law. Shambhu had previously joined the then Rastriya Janata Party (RJJP) led by Mahanta Thakur, Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Nepal led by Upendra Yadav, and recently joined RSP. Local leaders complain that Ramji and Shambhu are the main operators.< /p>

Siraha District Chairman Hariprasad Mainali, however, claimed that the problem arose because the lawmakers did not understand the party's policies, principles, and the spirit of the organization.< /p>

'The honorable members did not understand the party's policies and principles. Due to public dissatisfaction with the old parties, they became honorable members from RSP. But they could not build the organization. The Provincial Chairman has a main role in this, so he should resign,' he said.< /p>

Mainali also accused Jenji leader and proportional representative Purushottam Yadav of creating chaos in the district.< /p>

'He has no organization. There are no youths, only old people. He should be removed through the right to recall,' Mainali said.< /p>

Mainali also alleged that due to the self-interest of Provincial Chairman Tapeshwor Yadav, Subash Yadav, and Purushottam Yadav, who are brothers by relation, chaos within the organization is increasing. He lamented that being born as Pahadi in Madhesh is a great sin.< /p>

According to another district leader, they interfered to make their favored individuals chairman, having already sold tickets for the upcoming local and provincial assembly elections. In Siraha, due to the large Yadav community, they are accused of interfering to prevent Pahadis from getting tickets.  < /p>

Refuting the accusations made by district-level leaders, Provincial Chairman Tapeshwor Yadav claimed that the problem arose because newcomers aspired for the chairmanship, rather than internal party issues.  < /p>

'There is a lot of attraction towards the party. In a single municipality, there were 87/88 candidacies. Leaders from old parties came and claimed leadership in the same municipality,' he said. 'This is a clash of leadership. I have no accusations against anyone. There is no problem with the party system. The problem has arisen because newcomers do not understand the rules and procedures.'< /p>

He informed that he was coming to Kathmandu with the party's decision after a provincial committee meeting was scheduled in Rajbiraj to hold the convention soon.< /p>

Meanwhile, in Mahottari, a dispute arose after former chairman Shubham Kumar Yadav was disciplined, and it escalated. He was disciplined based on a letter sent from the center on charges of working against the party's interests. Acting Chairman Chandra Kishor Mahato said, 'Former Chairman Shubham Kumar Yadav has been disciplined. The provincial committee has taken action based on the letter from the center. He is accused of working against the party's interests. That is why the convention has been postponed due to the dispute.'< /p>

Including Shubham, there are 7 aspirants for the district chairmanship, including Naresh Yadav and Dayaram Yadav. In Sarlahi, although the ward conventions were completed according to the party's rules and procedures, problems arose regarding entering the data into the party portal, said Chairman Saroj Baniyan.< /p>

'The ward conventions were completed following the rules and procedures. Sarlahi does not have the authority to enter into the portal. It has the authority for ad-hoc ward committees and conventions. In this district, due to the majority of Yadavs, it does not seem easy for Pahadis. Out of 38 provincial departments, 32 are Yadavs after nominations. All of them are voters,' Baniyan said. In Sarlahi, Baniyan and Krishnanandan Yadav are aspirants for the chairmanship. The dispute that occurred in the municipal convention escalated into a physical fight by the time it reached the district convention.  < /p>

He asserted that conventions were held according to the rules in the municipalities where district conventions were held: Bagmati, Harivan, Barahathawa, Lalbandi, Ishworepur, Haripur, Malangwa municipalities, Chandranagar rural municipality, Brahmrapuri rural municipality, Kaudena rural municipality. However, he stated that the dispute arose because Lalbandi was entered into the portal while Haripur, Malangwa, Kaudena, and Kawilasi were not entered.< /p>

'The convention was postponed in Parsa rural municipality even after following the rules and procedures. It was entered without a chairman. In this, the honorable members, in collusion with a group, got it postponed,' he said. 'No one knows about Chakraghatta rural municipality. It appeared on the portal all at once. Where Saroj Baniyan would get votes, it was not entered, and where he would not get votes, it was entered in a guerrilla style.'< /p>

Rautahat District Chairman Pradip Sah accused lawmakers of interference even though the convention was held peacefully.< /p>

Sah said, 'The convention was held peacefully. But there was interference from the honorable members.' He asserted that the convention was held in accordance with the party central committee's decision that 30 percent of municipal conventions must be completed to hold a district convention. Sah accused lawmakers who did not play a role in organization building of causing problems because they wanted positions. Sah, along with Ajay Sah, Rabindra Yadav, Rajesh Chaudhary, and others, are aspirants for the chairmanship.< /p>

Meanwhile, in Bara, the dispute escalated after former chairman Chandan Swarnakar was expelled from the party. Dissatisfied parties protested at the central office in Banesthali, claiming that the central committee did not recognize the elected committee of Kalaiya sub-metropolitan city. However, District Chairman CA Shri Bhagwan Mahato claimed that the dispute arose due to problems seen on the party's portal. Mahato stated that the large craze for Rabi Lamichhane and Balen Shah in the elections led to an increase in party entrants, making management difficult.< /p>

Representatives from Feta, Mahagadhimai municipality, Suvarna rural municipality, Kalaiya sub-metropolitan city, Bishrampur rural municipality, Parwanipur rural municipality in Bara protested in Kathmandu. Aspirants for Bara District Chairman include Rajababu Kalwar, Umashankar Rauniyar, Dr. Sushil Sah, Basant Khatiwada, and Binod Yadav.  < /p>

While conventions have been postponed in 7 districts of Madhesh due to internal disputes, conventions have been peacefully completed in Parsa. Chairman Buddhiprasad, i.e., Hari Pant, asserted that the convention was possible due to a disciplined organization and trust in leadership.< /p>

'The organization was good here. No one raised objections. The rules and regulations were not violated. Whoever came, the party was bound to win. I am also an elected representative, but there was no interference outside the party's rules and regulations,' Pant said.  < /p>

He asserted that conventions were held peacefully in Parsa at the ward, municipal, regional, and district levels. Pant has been elected District Chairman. Dilip Prasad Kurmi has been elected Vice-Chairman, Sudesh Prajapati as Secretary, and Krishna Paswan as Joint Secretary.  < /p>

The commission had decided to postpone the convention by exercising the authority granted under Articles 41 and 49 of the Party's Statute 2079 (including the third amendment). Commission Chief Bhuvan KC informed that all processes have been halted for now to ensure that the Madhesh Province convention is conducted impartially, transparently, reliably, and systematically. According to KC, all activities related to delegate selection, election schedule, candidacy process, publicity, meetings, gatherings, and convention organization have been postponed. The postponement of the entire Madhesh convention is likely to affect the predetermined general convention.< /p>

RSP had decided to hold its general convention in Chitwan on Ashar 7, 8, and 9, marking the party's fourth anniversary.  < /p>

Kumar Anand Mishra, who was deputed by the center to play a coordinating role in the province, informed that discussions are underway regarding resuming the postponed convention soon.< /p>

'Discussions are underway regarding resuming the postponed convention. Other than this, nothing can be said at the moment,' Mishra said.< /p>

Regarding the problems seen in Madhesh, RSP Central Joint General Secretary Bipin Kumar Acharya said that instead of interference from the center, the responsibility should be given to the respective province.< /p>