Rastriya Swatantra Party Holds First National Convention in Chitwan, Delegates Pay Rs 5,000 Fee

Chitwan. The first historic national convention of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is underway in Chitwan. The party has collected a fee of Rs 5,000 from the delegates participating in the closed session, which will run until Asar 9, for food and snack arrangements. 

However, delegates who came from various parts of the country to participate in the convention have given mixed reactions regarding the fee.

While some have complained that the fee is expensive and the facilities are inadequate, others have considered it a positive practice to prevent the trend of collecting donations from old parties and corruption. There are a total of 4,211 delegates in the convention, and statistics show that nearly 4,000 of them have already paid the fee.

Kamal Baniyan, the coordinator for Jhapa Constituency No. 3, says that this fee is a bit expensive for delegates coming from remote and hilly areas. 

He stated that the Rs 5,000 fee adds an additional financial burden when delegates have to arrange their own travel expenses and accommodation. 'The party has arranged food and snacks for the activities from the closed session onwards, but there will be discussions within about the Rs 5,000 expense, and we hope the party leadership will consider it,' said Baniyan.

Madan Bhattari, a central committee delegate from Jhapa Arjundhara, also admits that delegates are complaining that while old parties charge Rs 1,000 and provide meat and rice, RSP charges Rs 5,000 and provides only basic food. Bhattari believes that the leadership should address such complaints as not all delegates have the same financial situation. He mentioned that all expenses before the closed session are being managed by the delegates themselves.

Although there are some dissatisfactions regarding the fee and facilities, there are also those who argue that there is a positive aspect behind it. Gopalprasad Neupane from Tilottama-9, Rupandehi, believes that despite the financial burden, this is an important step against corruption. He stated that other political parties collect large amounts of donations, which influence the government and lead to corruption. 'When the delegate or candidate manages their own expenses, it becomes a facet against corruption,' said Neupane.

Similarly, Roshan Kattel, secretary of the Koshi-Kathmandu Contact Department and a convention delegate, says that young people who are out to change the country should not be upset by minor expenses. He emphasized that everyone should support the procedural decisions made by the party. While acknowledging that there might be minor errors in management, he said, 'When embarking on change, one must also be prepared to lose something; we must understand that we are giving for the country and the future.'

Although delegates at this RSP convention have complained about the expensive fee and inadequate facilities, they have accepted the party's effort to raise funds from its own delegates, rather than soliciting donations from businessmen like old parties, as part of the campaign to change the country.