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By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel.
Just a few days ago, a very close friend of this pen pusher posted a video through his Facebook account. In the video clip, the supporters of Rabi Lamichhane, Chairperson of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, were seen clashing with security forces in the serene streets of Pokhara. The video also included provoking hate speeches from self-proclaimed intellectual leaders of the RSP, a party that claims to champion the rule of law and governance.
Cutting a joke at the post of my friend, one of my Indian friends with a high interest in Nepalese politics said Nepal’s politics is beyond the understanding of a layman. The Nepalese politicians can easily fool the innocent Nepalese people. This has been their hallmark ever since Nepal restored democracy. As a political observer, his remarks are quite reasonable. 
While the people were perturbed by poor governance, rampant corruption, ineffective service delivery, and the underperformance of existing mainstream political parties, the Rastriya Swatantra Party presented itself as an alternative force. It achieved remarkable success in the 2022 general election, securing 21 parliamentary seats and attaining the status of national party—something that surprised everyone. As a matter of fact, the party rose to prominence and became the fourth-largest party within a short duration of time.
But its initial passion soon began to fade away as it was marred by a series of controversies, including a serious criminal allegation against its leadership. At the core of the allegation is Rabi Lamichhane. He has been charged with embezzlement of cooperative funds, posing a threat to his fledging party. Rabi Lamichhane also faces accusations ranging from citizenship to passport forgery.
Following the sustained protest of the victims, the government succumbs to their demands and forms a special parliamentary committee to investigate the case. The committee found Rabi Lamichhane guilty and recommended government action against him. Soon after, a police team deployed from the Central Investigation Bureau arrested Rabi Lamichhane from his party office, ending weeks of speculation. 
His arrest triggered widespread protests. People in Pokhara took out massive rallies, shouting anti-government slogans and clashing with security forces. Not only this, the party leaders also made provoking statements. His supporters seemed to have forgotten that his arrest was part of the legal process, which they should understand and adhere to. To their utter dismay, they see it as a conspiracy by the major political parties and their leaders. The unwarranted uproar from the supporters of the RSP following the arrest of their chairman raises questions over their morality and ethics.
There is speculation that Rabi Lamichhane falls prey to the design of leaders of major political parties. They hold the view that Rabi Lamichhane, in the capacity of Home Minister, was not leaving a stone unturned to expose those who were involved in the Giri Bandhu Tea estate. This angered the leaders of key parties who, according to Rabi’s supporters, hatched a conspiracy to taint his growing image. Well, political pundits across the country are in a better position whether Rabi is innocent or fell prey to their design.
No saner mind would disagree with the fact that existing political parties are responsible for the country’s decades-long chaos. They would not hesitate to conclude that rampant corruption, abuse of authority, and political instability have become a regular phenomenon. Amidst this dismal scenario, the people pinned high hopes on Rabi Lamichhane and the Rastriya Swantantra Party. They had expected that his party would bail the country out of crises and lay the foundation for self-reliant Nepal—economically. On the contrary, they found him no different than the leaders of the major parties.
Formed just before the general election of 2022, the party gained initial traction as a response to widespread dissatisfaction with the established parties. Many people, including so-called civil society activists, viewed the party as an opportunity to rise to prominence, and they subsequently joined it. But these opportunists never understood that the party lacks experience and political capital—something that is very important to keep it afloat politically.
As things stand now, there is a sense of insecurity among the party supporters and leadership. This is evident in the Pokhara and Chitwan protests, where protestors have breached the security guidelines. When the Rastriaya Swatantra Party came into existence, it claimed to abide by the rule of law and be committed to good governance. But this was not seen in the Pokhara protest. To say it another way, the RSP supporters were failing to uphold the very standards it was founded on.
Despite innumerable challenges, the Rastriya Swatantra Party still has a strong base at the local level. The intellectuals and academicians believe that the party can rise again. Though this is a distant dream, it cannot be ruled out altogether. 
We all know that for any party to thrive, its leadership must demonstrate selflessness and patience. Likewise, trustworthiness and readiness to sacrifice personal ambition for the greater sake of the country and its people are other key attributes of a leader. The RSP leaders, think tanks, and intellectuals must engage in honest self-reflection and introspection and assess what really went wrong. Their critical assessment will help them to take swift action and prevent the party from premature demise.
With 1.2 million votes in the last election, the party is now a national asset and no longer a club of opportunists. It should make a strong comeback. Its collapse will not only be a setback for the alternative political movement but for the entire country as well.