Over 400 in race for 99 Central Committee Member seats

KATHMANDU: More than 400 candidacies have been received for 99 members of the Central Committee to be elected during the 1st General Convention of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).

According to RSP’s Central Election Commission Deputy Chief Ram Gurung, the candidate registration process, which began at 7 pm on Tuesday, continued until 2 am Wednesday. “A large number of nominations have been filed. The process of verifying the list of candidates is underway,” he added.

He said that most lawmakers and ministers have also filed their nominations for the Central Committee member positions.

The party currently has 182 lawmakers and 16 ministers.

According to the party statute, elections will be held in the first phase for the chairperson and 99 Central Committee members.

Rabi Lamichhane was elected unopposed as the party president on Tuesday after no other candidate filed a nomination.

Voting for Central Committee members will be held at the hall of the Chitwan Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, after completing the processes of filing complaints against candidates and withdrawing candidacies.

According to the commission, nominations for Central Committee members must be supported by 21 party members. These supporters cannot contest in the election.