Rastriya Swatantra Party to Amend Statute for Inclusivity

Chitwan. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is to be made more inclusive. The party is preparing to amend its statute to make it inclusive before its first national convention. 

According to Ganesh Parajuli, a member of the statute amendment committee, after the statute amendment, the presence of women in the post of deputy chairperson will be mandatory in the executive committee to be formed. According to the new arrangement, the party will elect one chairperson, three deputy chairpersons including one woman, two general secretaries, and one deputy general secretary including a woman. 

Similarly, one treasurer, two deputy treasurers, one spokesperson, and three deputy spokespersons will be nominated to the executive committee. The central committee of RSP will now have a total of 151 members. Of these, 99 members and the chairperson will be elected, while the remaining 51 members will be nominated by the chairperson in a way that completes the inclusive process. The party chairpersons of all seven provinces will automatically become ex-officio members of the central committee. Previously, only the treasurer and spokesperson were nominated by the chairperson, but under the new statute, the provision has been added that one deputy chairperson, one general secretary, and two deputy general secretaries can also be nominated by the chairperson. 

Parajuli said, 'The statute has addressed the principle of inclusivity.' The new arrangement ensures the participation of women at all levels of the party. Among the 99 directly elected members, central members will be selected at a rate of five from each province. 

Among the 35 central members coming from the provinces, the mandatory presence of at least two women from one province is required. Similarly, based on the population composition in the provinces, one Janajati is mandatory from Gandaki and Koshi provinces, while one Dalit representation is mandatory from Sudurpashim and Koshi provinces. The principle of inclusivity has been incorporated into the statute by making one Tharu mandatory from Lumbini Province and one Madhesi Dalit from Madhesh Province. 

Parajuli informed that the authority to nominate has been further given to the chairperson to address the spirit of adjustment within the party. The statute also makes provisions for senior leaders to be automatically included in the central committee. The closed session of the RSP's convention, which began in Chitwan on Sunday, will be held today, Monday. The election process will move forward from Tuesday, the day after the closed session concludes at the exhibition center of the Chitwan Chamber of Commerce.