Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Internal disagreements have flared within the Nepal Socialist Party (Naya Shakti) after party Chairperson and former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai signed a petition supporting Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane last Saturday.
Dr Bhattarai’s support for the RSP-led nationwide signature campaign, which claims the government is taking political revenge on Lamichhane in connection with a cooperative fraud case, has deepened controversy within the party. The former Prime Minister has long expressed sympathy for Lamichhane. He had visited Lamichhane in police custody in Pokhara last December, describing him as a representative of alternative politics and accusing the Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML of targeting him unfairly. His recent signing of the petition is seen as a continuation of that position.
However, party leaders say the party has not taken any formal decision to support the RSP’s campaign.
Dr Janak Shah, who heads the party’s Economic Policy and Planning Department, said the party’s commitment to good governance should not be compromised by portraying every case as political revenge. “It would have been better not to sign the petition while the legal process is still ongoing,” he said.
Central Committee member Rup Narayan Shrestha, however, defended Dr Bhattarai’s decision, arguing that the state had shown bias against Lamichhane. “As the leader of the fourth-largest party, Lamichhane should have been allowed to fight the case from outside custody. Signing the petition was about that principle,” he added.
General Secretary Sonam Singh Syangtang expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, stating that Bhattarai’s signature could be interpreted as an institutional stance even though the party has not discussed the matter. “It appears the state has acted with prejudice against Lamichhane,” he said, “But that does not automatically make him entirely right or a victim. We must respect the court’s decision.”
Party spokesperson Krishna Sharma clarified that the party had not taken a formal decision to sign the petition. However, he said that the Naya Shakti supports RSP under its policy of solidarity among alternative political forces.
A central committee leader, however, criticized Bhattarai for bypassing both party procedures and ethical considerations. “If we claim to be an alternative political force, our decisions, behavior and methods must reflect that. Internal decisions must also follow a transparent and democratic process,” he said, requesting anonymity.
Vice Chairperson Ishwar Rijal also said sensitive matters like this should go through party meetings. “There should have been an internal discussion,” he said. “We don’t know under what circumstances the chairperson signed the petition.”
