Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leaders are divided over whether to join the government or withdraw support to it and stay in opposition.
In the central committee (CC) meeting held at the party office Bashundhara on Monday, the leaders put forward two different views on whether to rejoin the government or remain in the opposition.
The agendas of the meeting were to review the by-elections, discuss whether to join the government, expand the organization, and elect the leader of the parliamentary party and the heads of the central departments.
Chairman Rabi Lamichhane briefed the meeting about his meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Sunday. He also mentioned that RSP received a very good public mandate in the by-elections on April 23.
Rabi said, "We have succeeded in teaching a lesson to the old party because of the work we did when we were in power."
He expressed this opinion with the intention of participating in the government again.
"The Prime Minister told us to come to the government," a leader told Nepalkhabar, quoting Rabi's briefing at the meeting, "We have confirmed that people's work can be done by staying in power."
Lamichhane had joined the Prachanda-led government as deputy prime minister and home minister from the seven-party alliance led by the UML on December 26 laster. But due to the citizenship dispute, he lost the post of MP on January 27, and the RSP quit the government on February 5.
At that time, Deputy Chairman Dol Prasad Aryal was given the responsibility of Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security, Shishir Khanal was given the responsibility of Minister of Education, and Technology. Similarly, Dr. Toshima Karki was the Minister of State for Health.
Lamichhane also revealed that Prime Minister Prachanda would be flexible about the ministry if he were to join the government.
"Prime Minister Prachanda said that even if you join the government with the old ministry, you should run the ministry well," Rabi quoted the Prime Minister as saying, "If you want to work for the people, you should join the government." However, I have replied that I cannot decide on this alone, we will do it through the meeting of the Central Committee."
General Secretary and Spokesperson Dr. Mukul Dhakal supported Rabi's proposal by saying that if the Prime Minister is ready, he should join the government with the old ministry.
However, half of the central members, including Deputy General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti, stood in favor of not joining the government immediately.
Vice Chairman Dol Prasad Aryal remained silent in the meeting.
As many as 30 members of the 39-member central committee of RSP were present in the meeting.
"There is no need to join the government immediately," another central member told Nepalkhabar, quoting the leaders of the party who did not want to join, "let's do our homework well for four years staying in opposition."
Then Chairman Lamichhane proposed to decide on this through a joint meeting of all central members and parliamentary parties.
"Everyone's opinion has come, now what is the benefit of going to the government, what is the benefit of not going? All central members and parliamentarians should bring a written resolution about this," Dpokesperson Dhakal quoted Rabi as saying. Dhakal said, "We will hold a joint meeting on Friday and take a decision."
The leaders who were in favor of not joining the government insisted that they should stay in the opposition.
Ishra Mulla Miya, a central member of RSP, also said that the leaders have given different suggestions about participating in the government.
"Someone said they should go, some said they shouldn't go," he said.
Even the RSP has instructed the leaders not to speak outside the meeting.
A leader said that he was instructed not to speak one after the other as the official opinion would be made public through the spokesperson.
RSP may join government if given the Home Ministry!
If RSP is given the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Home Affairs, The Ministry of Labor Employment and Social Security it will join the government. Dhakal said.
"The Prime Minister has told our party chairman that he has agreed to give the previous ministries," he said.
According to him, RSP is ready to go to the government. However, he said, a joint meeting of the Central Committee and the Parliamentary Party to be held next Friday will take a final call on this.
Talking to journalists in Chitwan on Monday, Prime Minister Prachanda also said that the RSP will not immediately withdraw its support to the government and said that efforts are being made to bring it into the government.
However, some leaders of RSP are in favor of withdrawing the support given to the government.
They argue that when the Prachanda-led government is unable to work, they should not join the government and work even more staying in opposition, so they should withdraw their support now.
Prachanda took the vote of confidence from the parliament on March 20. He was voted by lawmakers from Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), RSP, Janata Samajbadi Party, CPN (Unified Socialist), Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, Nepal Samajbadi Party, Rastriya Janamorcha.
Rabi, who lost the post of MP over his citizenship dispute, won from Chitwan 2 in the by-election of the House of Representatives held on April 23.
In the same by-election, RSP has won in Tanahun 1 as well. Economist Dr. Swarnim Wagle won the election representing RSP.
They claim that the prime minister has become inflexible to bring the RSP to the government after increasing one seat in the parliament through the by-elections.
Ministers are yet to be appointed in five ministries.
"It is not so easy to give a ministry of one's choice. I must also consult the alliance regarding this. We will consult and decide," he said in Chitwan on Monday.
