Kathmandu, June 20: The Election Commission (EC) has confirmed that Dr. Mukul Dhakal remains the officially registered General Secretary and Spokesperson of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)—months after the party publicly expelled him.

The EC stated that the RSP last submitted updates to its central committee and leadership roster 15 months ago. Since then, no formal changes have been communicated. As a result, no modifications have been made to the party’s official list of office bearers or central committee members since March 2024. Dr. Dhakal, who was stripped of all-party responsibilities and later ousted altogether, had recently sought clarification from the EC regarding his status in the party's official records. The response he received was startling: despite the internal shake-up, he is still listed as the party’s General Secretary in official documents.

The RSP had made headlines on July 9, 2024, when its central committee removed Dhakal from all posts—including General Secretary, Spokesperson, and Central Committee member—and approved a broader leadership reshuffle. However, none of those decisions were formally submitted to the EC, leaving the official records unchanged. Following the EC’s declaration, Dhakal has now written to Acting Party President Dol Prasad Aryal and Vice President Dr. Swarnim Wagle, requesting a meeting to discuss the situation—setting the stage for a new chapter of internal intrigue.

Even the resignation of Deputy General Secretary Sumana Shrestha—submitted on April 16, 2025—has yet to be reflected in EC documents. As per the latest official records, Rabi Lamichhane remains the party president, Aryal and Wagle are listed as vice presidents, and Dhakal, despite being ousted, is still recognised as General Secretary. Kabindra Burlakoti, who currently acts in that role, is still formally recorded as Deputy General Secretary. This administrative oversight exposes the gap between internal party dynamics and procedural compliance. Political observers note that such discrepancies are not entirely unexpected, especially for a relatively young party like the RSP, which is still learning to navigate the formalities of political operation.