By Ram Kumar Kamat in The Himalayan Times, Feb 6, 2023
The Rabi Lamichhane-led Rastriya Swatantra Party, which has 19 seats in the House of Representatives, today (Feb 5) decided to quit the government over Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s refusal to give the home portfolio to the party. The party will, however, continue supporting the government.
A joint meeting of the party’s central committee and parliamentary party held here today decided to recall its ministers over home portfolio.
There are three ministers from the RSP in the Dahal-led Cabinet – Shishir Khanal, DP Aryal, and Toshima Karki.
They tendered their resignation this evening.
After the party meeting, Lamichhane held a press conference where he said his party would not withdraw support to the government because it did not want to create political instability. He said his party’s decision may change in future if they got right kind of power sharing deal.
Lamichhane said his party wanted the home portfolio because that was part of the power sharing deal and that would have given the party a platform to implement its poll pledges related to service delivery.
He said he abided by the Supreme Court’s decision that annulled his election to the HoR on the ground that he did not get his Nepali citizenship restored after renouncing his American citizenship. He, however, expressed surprise that the SC, where 10 out of 15 cases related to election had been pending for the past five years, adjudicated his case quickly.
On the passport controversy, Lamichhane said what he had already said publicly four years ago was being reported in the media. “I got my Nepali passport issued as many non-resident Nepalis did, but I never used or misused it,” he added. He said if he was allowed to return as home minister, there would be no conflict of interest because he had not concealed anything from the government.
Lamichhane said he might have made procedural mistakes while obtaining Nepali passport and he was ready to face its consequences. “Even if I am put behind bars, the RSP will continue its political mission,” he said.
Lamichhane accused media outlets of running baseless news reports against him to influence the SC decision. He accused media outlets of planting stories to get undue benefits from political leaders and policymakers. Lamichhane said some media outlets were blatantly circumventing laws and using their power to block police investigation against them. https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/rsp-denied-home-ministry-quits-govt
