RSP convention: Voting underway to elect five office-bearers

KATHMANDU: Voting is ongoing under the 1st General Convention of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) to elect five office-bearers.

Convention representatives will elect one vice president (female), one general secretary and three joint general secretaries, according to the RSP’s Central Election Commission.

The RSP has three vice president positions as per the party statute. Dr Swarnim Wagle has been elected unopposed as vice president, while President Rabi Lamichhane will nominate one vice president. Sobita Gautam and Dr Toshima Karki are in the race for vice president (women).

Similarly, four are in the race for one post of general secretary. According to the commission, Bipin Kumar Acharya, Ganesh Karki, Sagar Dhakal and Manish Jha are in the race to become the party’s general secretary. Although eight candidates had initially filed nominations for the position, Rajunath Pandey, Ranju Darshana, Ganesh Parajuli and Pramod Neupane later withdrew their candidacies. Several leaders, including Ranju Darshana, Kabindra Burlakoti, Ganesh Parajuli, Pramod Neupane and Shishir Khanal, have announced their support for Bipin Kumar Acharya for general secretary.

Bhupa Dev Shah is certain to be nominated to the other position of general secretary.

Similarly, 10 candidates are competing for the two joint general secretary positions. They include Asim Shah, Ramesh Prasai, Yagyamani Neupane, Sulabh Kharel, Ashok Kumar Chaudhary, Milan Limbu, Rajiv Khatri, Bijay Jairu, Hari Dhakal and Himesh Pant.

Likewise, five candidates are in the race for one joint general secretary (female) position. According to the commission, Julie Yadav, Bidushi Sharma, Kamini Kumari Chaudhary, Nisha Dangi and Reema Bishwakarma.