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Politics  (Rastriya Swatantra Party, RSP)
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Historical background:
Constituent Assembly
Nayan Shakti Party - Nepal
Northeast India
Rastriya Janata Party Nepal
Samajbadi Party - Nepal

Pratibha Rawal appointed acting spokesperson of Rastriya Swatantra Party (kh 17/01/2025)

Rabi Lamichhane to remain suspended from parliament despite bail (kh 10/01/2025) [The court did not find him innocent, but merely released him temporarily on bail! Similar proceedings against him are also ongoing at other courts.], Lamichhane freed on Rs6.5m bail after 84 days in custody : Legal expert says other district courts might still decide to keep the Rastriya Swatantra Party leader in judicial custody in separate cases under their jurisdictions, by Binod Ghimire and Deepak Pariyar (kp 10/01/2025)

Money laundering clause of Cooperatives Ordinance targeted against Lamichhane: RSP leaders. DP Aryal chairs Rastriya Swatantra Party’s first central committee meeting after Rabi Lamichhane’s arrest (kp 05/01/2025)

RSP to form an opinion on constitutional amendment (rep 04/01/2025)

Rastriya Swatantra Party plans to hold its maiden general convention in Chitwan in May : Uncertainty surrounding RSP leader Lamichhane’s legal battles could hinder party’s ability to conduct its convention effectively (kp 02/01/2025)

RSP will overcome all challenges, interview with Manish Jha by Gyanu Ghimire (kh 29/12/2024)

RSP faces leadership crisis post-Lamichhane (kh 25/12/2024)

What next for RSP as Rabi Lamichhane deals with serious charges?, by Gyanu Ghimire (kh 24/12/2024), Lamichhane Stares At Uncertain Future, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn 24/12/2024)

RSP leaders gather in Pokhara following charge sheet against Rabi Lamichhane (kh 23/12/2024), RSP secretariat meeting to discuss legal issues and leadership decisions (kh 23/12/2024), RSP appoints DP Aryal as acting Chair (kh 23/12/2024), Rabi Lamichhane officially suspended as lawmaker : He picks Dol Prasad Aryal as acting president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, by Purushottam Poudel (kp 24/12/2024)

Social service drew me into politics: Rojina Shrestha, by Gyanu Ghimire (kh 03/12/2024)

Six reasons why RSP called off its street protests, by Gyanu Ghimire (kh 22/11/2024)

RSP to launch second phase of protests from November 23 (kh 17/11/2024)

Mob tactics of Rastriya Swatantra Party: Genuinely slipping off-track, by Pushpa Raj Joshi (ht 16/11/2024))

Supreme Court allows contempt of court petition against RSP leaders : Petition claiming new party is trying to obstruct justice to be filed today (kp 13/11/224)

Parable of a Blue Jackal, by Narayan Manandhar (rep 05/11/2024)

RSP halts protests until Chhath festival (kh 31/10/2024)

सामाजिक छवि : ठूला दल र रवि [Social Image: Large Party and Ravi], by Indra Adhikari (ka 31/10/2024)

RSP chief’s political career will be set back if he gets convicted : Even with the minimum penalty for cooperatives cash embezzlement, Lamichhane can miss a parliamentary poll, by Binod Ghimire (kp 20/10/2024)

Arrest warrants issued against 14 individuals, including RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane (kh 18/10/2024), Police arrest ex-home minister and RSP chair Rabi Lamichhane : The former deputy prime minister and chief of the fourth largest party is accused of cooperative fraud and organised crime charges (kp 18/10/2024), I have been unjustly targeted by state: Rabi Lamichhane (kh 18/10/2024), CIB hands over Rabi to Kaski Police amid protests (kh 19/10/2014), RSP to protest in Kathmandu and Pokhara today (kh 19/10/2024)

Rabi will definitely go to jail, says Mukul Dhakal (rep 25/09/2024)

RSP worker quits party over Lamichhane’s alleged fraud : Shalikram Duwadi, ward committee secretary of the RSP in Bharatpur who claims he lost Rs1.3 million in a cooperative, says he decided to stand with hundreds of other victims, by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp 23/09/2024)

Rabi Lamichhane’s Political Fate At Stake?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn 22/09/2024), RSP delegation cuts China visit short amid Lamichhane’s possible arrest (kh 22/09/2024)

Mea Culpa and Cooperative Scams, by Narayan manandhar (rep 19/09/2024)

As RSP begins national conference, probe report on Lamichhane dominates discourse : Provincial committee chiefs present the problems they’ve faced in conducting party activities (kp 18/09/2024), RSP skips discussion on Lamichhane’s political paper amid concerns over criticisms against party’s top leadership (rep 18/09/2024) [Is the RSP facing a similar fate as the Bibesheel Sajha Party years ago, destroyed by the party president?], RSP meet fails to inspire representatives : Party spokesperson says there is a lack of ‘synchronisation’ among top party leaders, by Purushottam Poudel (kp 19/09/2024)

Will change the situation through ballot: Rabi Lamichhane (kh 17/09/2024)

Cooperative fraud case: Rabi Lamichhane found ‘guilty’ : Committee to initiate further investigation into Dhanraj Gurung's case (kh 16/09/2024)

RSP Disciplinary Commission recommends expelling Mukul from ordinary membership (kh 26/08/2024) [In a democratic party, it should not be so easy to exclude dissenting party members from the party, although the Nepalese Political Party Act stipulates this! Freedom of expression must be one of the basic principles of a democratic party!], RSP expels Dr. Mukul Dhakal from party (kh 27/08/2024), After being expelled from RSP, Dr Mukul Dhakal says, “The Rabi Lamichhane Club has no right to expel me” (rep 27/08/2024), Mukul Dhakal appeals against RSP’s decision to remove him from general secretary (rep 01/09/2024)

Revealing Rabi Lamichhane’s misdeeds is not against RSP: Mukul Dhakal (kh 23/08/2024)

Mukul Dhakal’s letter to PM: Abolish provincial structure (rep 12/08/2024) [It is not the federal system that should be abolished, but its abuse by the political parties and the national political level. Only people who want to prevent proper social and regional inclusion and the abolition of Bahunbad can wish for the abolition of federalism and the PR electoral system!], RSP demands 24-hour explanation from Mukul Dhakal (kh 14/08/2024), Mukul Dhakal demands resignation of RSP Chairman Lamichhane (kh 15/08/2024)

As RSP expands, it is following in the footsteps of the old parties it despised : To achieve bigger electoral success, the two-year-old party now advocates stronger organisation. That might create its own problems, analysts warn, by Purushottam Poudel (kp 11/08/2024)

Rastriya Swatantra Party: A Dwindling Hope, by Mahesh Kushwaha (rep 31/07/2024)

Mukul Dhakal challenges RSP’s decision at Election Commission (rep 28/07/2024)

After punishing Mukul Dhakal, RSP leaders vie for general secretary : Leaders say there is intense competition between aspirants to get the vital roles in party leadership, by Purushottam Poudel (kp 28/07/2024)

RSP disciplinary commission recommends suspension of Mukul Dhakal from party (kh 09/07/2024), RSP relieves Mukul Dhakal of General Secretary and Spokesperson roles (kh 09/07/2024), “No longer in Rabi Lamichhane’s club,” says Dhakal after being relieved from his post (kh 09/07/2024), RSP relieves dissenting general secretary Dhakal of all party duties : Dhakal hints at launching an intra-party rebellion, declaring ‘the bell won’t stop ringing’ in a social media post (kp 10/07/2024), Former RSP General Secy Dhakal calls press conference today (rep 10/07/2024), Mukul Dhakal demands investigation against Rabi Lamichhane for passport misuse and cooperative fraud (kh 10/07/2024), Mukul Dhakal accuses DP Aryal of embezzlement and misappropriation of party funds (kh 10/07/2024), Mukul Dhakal demands probe against Lamichhane in dual passport and cooperative fraud cases : Asks the party to form an inquiry committee to investigate charges against the party chair (kp 11/07/2024), Cooperatives victims press House panel to probe Rabi Lamichhane, GB Rai : Though the panel invited representative victims of 29 cooperatives, they focused on Gorkha Media Network and the two prime accused in the scam (kp 11/07/2024), Mukul Dhakal alleges intimidation by Swarnim Wagle’s secretariat (kh 14/07/2024)

Promote a Culture of Respecting Healthy Criticisms (rep 06/07/2024) [Criticising a party leader in Nepal is tantamount to lèse majesté, even if the criticism is justified!]

All four ministers of RSP resigning today (kh 04/07/2024), After talks with PM Dahal, RSP rules out quitting government (kh 04/07/2024),