Analysis:  RPP stands divided over next presidency

January 23, 2002
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Kathmandu: The RPP is in the news these days. The third largest party in the parliament is talked to be in a fix over whether the current chairman of the Party Surya Bahadur Thapa be allowed to continue as chairman for yet another round or should some one other than Thapa be elected for that post.

The party’s constitution does not allow any person to enjoy the chairmanship more than two round in office. However, the fact is that Mr. Thapa’s ambition is that he be allowed to continue as the chairman even if the constitution were to be amended.

His competitors do not subscribe to chairman Thapa’s view.

In the process there now exist two or even more factions in the party. The possible candidates for the chairman of the party are talked to be Pashupati Rana, Dr. P.C.Lohani and even Rabindra Nath Sharma.

Unconfirmed reports have it that leader Lokendra Bahadur Chand has not yet spoken his mind but yet sources close to the RPP say that Chand might support that candidate whom President Thapa rejects at time of the election.

If that happens then yet another split in the RPP can’t be ruled out, say independent observers.

According to them, L.B.Chand’s reentry into the RPP mainstream was a compulsion for the Thapa faction. However, the fact is that Chand and Thapa continue to be arch-rival and hence their preference at time of the next election to the presidency would naturally be different.