Lingden and Rana
KATHMANDU: Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), known as the party of former Panchayat supporters, is experiencing internal factionalism yet again. Formed after the democratic movement of 1990, the party initially had two factions led by Surya Bahadur Thapa and Lokendra Bahadur Chand.
Both Thapa and Chand became Prime Ministers one after the other with the support of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML for a few years after the 1994 general election. As his faction grew stronger, Thapa left RPP to form the Rastriya Janashakti Party. Thapa is no more, while Chand has retired from politics. Some leaders formed RPP (Rastrabadi) but failed.
The Rajendra Lingden-led faction emerged as the new power in the party, defeating Kamal Thapa’s faction in the general convention held three years ago. Stung by defeat, Thapa left the party and revived RPP Nepal.
Two factions are currently active in RPP—one led by Chairperson Lingden and another by General Secretary Dhawal Shumsher Rana. Both are vying for the party leadership after the next general convention. Internal power struggles have already begun in RPP targeting the 2025 general convention.
As per the party constitution, RPP must hold its general convention in 2025. However, given the factionalism within the party, it is uncertain if the general convention will be held as per the calendar. The party constitution allows Lingden to extend his term by a year.
The Rana faction, however, is putting pressure on Lingden to hold the convention on time. This has led to confrontations in party meetings. The main competition in the upcoming general convention is likely to be between Lingden and Rana. According to RPP leaders, Lingden is eyeing a second term, while Rana is preparing to ascend to the top position by any means. Vice-chairpersons Bikram Pandey and Dr. Prakash Lohani are also said to be eyeing the top post.
Rana is the most powerful leader in RPP after Lingden. He is the only elected general secretary of the party. Rana had been serving as the chief of the party’s Organization Department. However, Lingden removed Rana from the position while the latter was undergoing treatment in India. Buddhi Man Tamang has replaced Rana as the head of the Organization Department.
The Organization Department is considered crucial in RPP. Rana’s supporters accuse Lingden of removing Rana from this position to weaken him. Senior RPP leader Prakash Chandra Lohani called the removal of Rana an ‘unwise and inhumane decision’, accusing Lingden of causing additional stress to an individual receiving health treatment.
Lingden is working to weaken Rana not just in the Organization Department but elsewhere too. Rana was earlier named as the coordinator of RPP’s Protest Mobilization Committee. Lingden has now formed a main organizing committee under his leadership.
In the previous general convention, Lingden was elected party chair by promoting the idea of a ‘New RPP’ and youth leadership. At that time, Rana had supported Lingden for the chairmanship. But now, internal conflict between the two has increased. This has also polarized leaders. While vice-chairpersons Buddhi Bahadur Tamang and Dhruva Bahadur Pradhan are among those supporting Lingden, Rana’s faction claims to have the support of leaders like Bikram Pandey, Prakash Chandra Lohani and Kunti Shahi. RPP leaders say the Rana faction looks stronger at the moment. However, if there are two chairperson aspirants from the Rana faction, Lingden will be stronger in the general convention..
Of late, Lingden has initiated a program to welcome leaders and cadres of other parties to RPP. Mohan Shrestha, a leader close to Lingden, told Himal Press that the party launched to make the party stronger. The Rana faction, however, maintains that the party cannot become stronger merely by admitting workers from other parties. They are for starting a movement demanding ‘Hindu nation and monarchy’.
A few days ago, Lingden nominated 10 men and 10 women under 40 years of age as central members of the party. The selection committee, led by Vice-chairperson Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, who is considered close to Lingden, had selected the central members. Leaders of the Rana camp objected to the selection process.
How will the internal conflict unfold?
Internal conflict in RPP heightened after Rana was stripped of his responsibility as the chief of the party’s Organization Department. Rana, who is still in India, has not commented on this. However, leaders close to him have opposed the decision. Sagun Lawoti, a leader from the Rana faction, says that the issue will be raised in the next meeting. Removing someone from a position while they are ill should be taken seriously, he added.
Shrestha, who is close to Lingden, however, said the chairperson has the authority to remove and appoint individuals to party positions. “What everyone needs to understand is that RPP’s constitution clearly states that it is the party chairperson who nominates department heads, not any committee meeting,” Shrestha said.
The two factions were also divided on central committee member Anjana Shah Rawal’s exit and re-entry into the party. Rawal, who had even relinquished her general membership due to dissatisfaction with internal conflicts, has returned to the party. Shah stated that she has returned to her responsibilities considering the appeal from top leaders not to resign and the challenging circumstances.
Rawal was the sole chairperson elected through district conventions and central conventions. Although some leaders had blamed the party leadership for her exit, Lingden did not make efforts to bring her back. She returned to the party at the request of leaders from the Rana faction, say leaders.
Leaders from the Lingden faction, however, say that Rawal returned to the party hoping to become a member of parliament.
Rawal was second on the list, after Gita Basnet, in the Khas/Arya cluster in the proportional representation system to the House of Representatives. With Basnet implicated in a cooperative deposits misuse case, leaders of the Lingden faction said Rawal returned to the party in anticipation of a seat in the lower house if Basnet is convicted.
