Nepal: Dahal's govt under pressure as RSP’s claim for home ministry is backed by Oli

New Delhi: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), a major partner in the ruling coalition in Nepal, has threatened to withdraw from the government after the prime minister refused to reinstate party president Rabi Lamichhane as home minister.

According to a report in the Kathmandu Post, the joint meeting of the RSP’s Central Committee and the Parliamentary Party on Thursday evening decided to continue to stake its claim on the home ministry, this time at the high-level political mechanism, and wait until Saturday for further developments. RSP spokesperson Mukul Dhakal said they took the decision at the request of Prime Minister Dahal and UML chair KP Sharma Oli who sought two more days to settle the issue.

The coalition government in Nepal is divided over whether the home ministry should be given to the Swatantra Party. The conflict arose after the annulment of Rashtriya Swatantra Party president Rabi Lamichhane’s status as home minister.

What is the controversy surrounding Rabi Lamichhane?

The Supreme Court in Nepal last week stripped Rabi Lamichhane of his lawmaker position, saying that the citizenship certificate he produced to contest the parliamentary election was invalid. According to a report in the Kathmandu Post, ” The cancellation of his citizenship certificate also cost him the positions of the home minister and party president. But on Sunday, Lamichhane reacquired the citizenship from the District Administration Office, Kathmandu and his party subsequently reinstated him party president.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal met UML Chief KP Sharma Oli to discuss the matter. Reports, however, suggested that no decision has been made yet.

A member of the prime minister’s Secretariat said PM Dahal is in the mood to wait and watch after the recent court decision. “It seems Oli is trying to tighten his grip on the ruling coalition with the backing of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party. Chairman Dahal and other Maoist Centre leaders want to change this state of affairs,” the Secretariat member said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has kept the home ministry with himself after the Supreme Court verdict.

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