Opinion | Who is the real prime minister?
Summary
Rabi Lamichhane’s remarks in Chitwan have revived questions over who really leads the Rastriya Swatantra Party and who holds executive power in Nepal. The dispute highlights tensions between party authority and government decision-making under the RSP’s current arrangement.
Key Points
- Rabi Lamichhane’s Chitwan speech questioned government decisions on the police chief transfer and the detention of journalists, drawing attention to his relationship with Balendra Shah.
- The article argues that the RSP’s internal statute gives the chair significant authority over the parliamentary leader, raising doubts about how power is divided.
- It cites Nepal’s past party leadership conflicts to show how even large majorities can become unstable when top leaders disagree.
- The RSP still needs a written framework clarifying the roles of the chair, parliamentary leader, government and secretariat.
