Kathmandu, Aug 7: The internal feud in the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has intensified as Chair Rajendra Lingden and General Secretary Dhawal Shamsher Rana lock horns over leadership decisions. With both factions now organizing separate meetings and gatherings, confusion has spread across the party rank and file.

Tensions escalated after Lingden removed several key figures from their roles. Notably, Nawaraj Subedi was dismissed as chair of the Disciplinary Committee and replaced by Vice-Chair Roshan Karki. Subedi challenged the move at the Election Commission. Similarly, Sagun Sundar Lawati was stripped of his spokesperson role, prompting him to join Rana’s camp. These changes triggered resignations and public statements from senior leaders, including Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani and Vice-Chair Bikram Pandey, who accused Lingden of making unilateral decisions.

The dissenting faction, led by Rana, demanded a meeting of the Work Execution Committee (WEC), citing party rules that allow 17 members to request such a meeting. Rana commands the support of 11 WEC members while Lingden retains backing from 41. Despite the demand, Lingden’s side is unwilling to convene the meeting. Rana claims the chair initiated the conflict by removing leaders without consultation.

Among those resigning is Central Committee member Kishor Bahadur Karki, who expressed frustration over the party’s internal chaos, especially at a time when RPP has been leading efforts to restore the monarchy and declare Nepal a Hindu state.

The conflict has led to parallel gatherings, including one attended by around 50 leaders such as Lohani, former minister Hari Bahadur Basnet, Vice-Chairs Pandey and Giri, and General Secretaries Rana and Kunti Shah. Their goal is to pressure Lingden to reverse course.

Party spokesperson Mohan Kumar Shrestha defended the changes. He said Subedi had resigned from the party in March, making his removal justified. He also claimed Lawati and Giri were dismissed for engaging in external activities and ignoring repeated warnings. The Disciplinary Committee has since warned all members against actions that go against party unity and instructed them to avoid making individual statements in public.

The dispute also has roots in the leadership of a pro-monarchy protest committee. Subedi, who was once seen as favored by former King Gyanendra to lead the royalist campaign, quit the party in March. Rana and several others later joined the protest movement, operating outside the party framework. This move is seen as having further weakened both the party and the monarchy's public image.

Meanwhile, Lingden faces fresh criticism for allegedly shielding his personal secretary Chhatra Khadayat, who reportedly assaulted Raju Gaire, a longtime party activist. Gaire had criticized Lingden on social media, and was allegedly attacked by Khadayat while having tea near the party office. A video of the helmet attack has since circulated online, adding fuel to the party’s already smoldering internal unrest.

Despite calls for unity, the rift shows no signs of easing, with the dissenting group vowing to continue opposing Lingden’s leadership style and decisions.

People’s News Monitoring Service