In May, the Rastriya Swatantra Party intends to host its inaugural general convention in Chitwan

From May 8–10, 2025, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) will host its first general convention in Rabi Lamichhane‘s home constituency of Chitwan. But Lamichhane’s trial for embezzling cooperative funds while in police detention has sparked concerns about the convention’s outcome and the party’s future agenda.

The ambiguity surrounding Lamichhane’s legal disputes may make it more difficult for the party to plan and run its convention efficiently. According to a member of the RSP secretariat, the party may need to modify its tactics as events develop in order to preserve unity and popular support.

The member of the secretariat stated, “The general convention’s timing may vary slightly from the specified date.” “The case of the party president will determine a lot of things.”

Lamichhane and a few other individuals accused of embezzling cooperative funds were placed on remand by the Kaski District Court on Tuesday after the court recorded his statement about the misuse of Suryadarshan Cooperative funds, according to the district court registrar.

The general convention will have clarity after the court’s final decision on Lamichhane, according to the party head.

But according to the party’s acting spokesperson, Manish Jha, the general convention will go place at the appointed hour. In anticipation of the convention, which is four months away, the party is planning festivities in several districts. Jha claims that of the 77 districts, the party has met in over 60 of them.

In several Himalayan districts, the weather causes us to fall behind. Otherwise, we are going to finish district meetings in every province,” Jha stated.

Leaders in the posts left empty by the case against Lamichhane and the removal of then-general secretary Mukul Dhakal have been given acting roles by the leadership. The party named its founding vice president, Dol Prasad (DP) Aryal, as its interim president on December 23. There are now three leaders with significant acting duties.

The Kaski court received a lawsuit against Lamichhane on December 22. Serious accusations against him included money laundering, organized crime, and misuse of cooperative funds. He was suspended as a lawmaker after these accusations, and the party named an acting president.

Joint General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti has been appointed the party’s interim general secretary, and RSP spokesperson Manish Jha is serving in that capacity. Dhakal was in both of these roles.

The party brushes off inquiries about managing the party under an interim leader because it was founded with a different national political agenda and a pledge to operate differently from the previous parties.

Preparations for the general convention have been overshadowed by the arrest. RSP leaders assert that after the temporary president was appointed, the party has resumed its usual operations.

Up until now, our party has had a district coordinator and an assistant coordinator. But following the district-level conference, a committee was established that currently runs the convention in each ward. Another party leader stated that the general convention will gain momentum as a result.

Another party leader, Sishir Khanal, stated, “Prior to the general convention, we are striving to finish ward-level conventions and other preparations.”

In addition, Lamichhane is no longer the parliamentary party leader of the RSP. The deputy parliamentary leader, Birajbhakta Shrestha, should be assigned the position, according to some party leaders, as he did when Lamichhane’s lawmakership was revoked in 2023 due to a citizenship dispute.

Some party leaders also claim that Swarmin Walge, the other vice-chair, ought to be the party’s leader in Parliament when Aryal, the other vice-chair, is named interim head in Lamichhane’s place.

However, since the new session of Parliament has not yet started, Ganesh Karki, a member of the central committee, claims that the party has not yet decided on a parliamentary party leader.

“The party may talk about parliamentary party leaders at the next central committee meeting,” Karki stated.

The party’s extended central committee meeting is scheduled for January 3–5.