Urgency across the aisle to curb RSP’s popularity

In recent weeks, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the fourth largest political entity in the House of Representatives (HoR), has emerged as a focal point in national politics.

Firstly, the primary opposition, the Nepali Congress (NC), has been demanding resignation of RSP leader Rabi Lamichhane from the post of deputy prime minister and minister for home affairs over his alleged involvement in a fund misappropriation from a Pokhara-based financial cooperative. 

Several NC leaders have demanded that Lamichhane step down to facilitate an independent and impartial investigation.

While some Congress leaders, notably General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, have vocally criticized Lamichhane, internal dissent persists, with some advocating for patience before demanding resignation so soon after the formation of a new coalition. Some factions within the party believe that ousting the RSP from the coalition could jeopardize the current alliance. They are of the view that the party should wait for at least 100 days before demanding Lamichhane’s resignation.

Furthermore, there are also voices within the NC that suggest adopting a more conciliatory approach toward the RSP, acknowledging the potential for future collaboration, especially if all communist parties unite in subsequent elections. Despite the assertive stance of figures like Thapa, senior leader Shekhar Koirala, and certain youth leaders, Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba maintains a neutral stance.

Shankar Tiwari, an NC youth leader and a political analyst, emphasizes the party’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, stressing the importance of ensuring that ongoing investigations into Lamichhane remain uninfluenced by political power dynamics. He argues that Lamichhane's appointment as home minister presents a conflict of interest, particularly as he is under police investigation, setting aside any political motivations.

Nevertheless, critics view the Congress’ stance as an attempt to prevent Home Minister Lamichhane from opening old corruption cases, which could potentially implicate its own leaders. The RSP too accuses the main opposition party of stifling its voice by disrupting parliamentary proceedings. 

Lamichhane told a gathering on Saturday that he was willing to engage in a debate with NC General Secretary Thapa in his own constituency, Kathmandu-4. He said the allegations leveled against him by the NC were baseless.

Thapa had claimed in the HoR that Lamichhane was involved in the misuse of funds from the Pokhara-based Suryadarshan Cooperatives, citing a report commissioned by the Pokhara Metropolitan City. 

“A study panel commissioned by the Pokhara Metropolitan City states in its report that one of the individuals opening a fake account in the cooperative is Rabi Lamichhane. Rs 10m has been released in Lamichhane's name, although he is not a member of the cooperative,” Thapa told parliament.

Lamichhane denies any wrongdoing and maintains that he hasn’t been named as a defendant in the case pertaining to the fund misuse of the financial cooperative in question. He has questioned NC’s political integrity, pointing that one of its sitting ministers had felt no moral compulsion to step down even when he was being investigated by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority.  

Lamichhane was referring to former health minister and NC leader Mohan Bahadur Basnet, who is under investigation for his alleged involvement in a corruption case concerning the  procurement of Telecommunication Traffic Monitoring and Fraud Control System (TERAMOCS) of Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA). 

Friction has also arisen between the RSP and its coalition partners regarding a potential alliance in the forthcoming by-election scheduled for April 27 in Ilam-2 and Bajhang (A). Political observers say the CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN-UML will find it hard to deal with RSP in the coming days. 

While Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Maoist party and KP Sharma Oli of the UML have stood by Lamichhane, potential sources of friction linger. Although the RSP played a pivotal role in forming the current alliance, doubts persist regarding the coalition's cohesion.

Recently, RSP Vice-chairperson Swarnim Wagle disclosed Prime Minister Dahal’s offer for the RSP to join the government some three months ago. “Many told us that we could have waited until 2027. But we felt if we can make positive changes from the government, why not accept the offer,” Wagle said about his party’s decision to join the ruling coalition. “We have chosen ministries related to good governance and youths. If we fail to deliver, we will step down.” 

Wagle’s rationale for accepting the offer also betrays RSP’s plan to pull out of the coalition if the party ministers are not allowed to work independently.    

Within the coalition, managing Lamichhane presents a significant challenge for Prime Minister Dahal and the UML. Earlier, Lamichhane had to leave the Home Ministry within a month after he was dragged into a controversy for holding dual passport and citizenship. But he is unlikely to give up that easily this time, even though the NC has been disrupting parliamentary sessions, demanding that the government investigate Lamichhane.

Despite controversies, Lamichhane’s popularity remains intact, as evidenced by his resounding victory in by-elections. RSP’s electoral successes in Chitwan and Tanahun have bolstered their confidence, and it plans to contest the upcoming by-elections and not support other coalition parties.  

The RSP’s reluctance to engage in electoral alliances signals a potential rift within the government, though it is unlikely to directly impact coalition dynamics. To influence the election and party’s popularity, Lamichhane could also leverage his position as home minister by investigating major corruption scandals involving the leaders of major political parties. If that happens, it could exacerbate tensions within the coalition.

To demonstrate effective governance, Lamichhane is already pursuing investigation into the gold smuggling case involving former parliament speaker and Maoist leader Krishna Prasad Mahara. RSP's long-term aspirations to emerge as a significant political force by the 2027 general elections may prompt them to withdraw from the government if hindered by Prime Minister Dahal and his main coalition ally, UML.

 

Senior RSP leaders assert their commitment to fulfilling promises or resigning, garnering tentative support from Prime Minister Dahal, who believes RSP ministers are more likely to deliver tangible results, shaping public opinion favorably. However, populist decisions by RSP ministers is likely to cause friction within the coalition. So, managing the RSP presents a formidable challenge for both ruling and opposition parties alike.