RPP expels ten CWC members, including Home Minister Thapa, from the party

January 9, 2006
3 MIN READ
A
A+
A-

Home Minister Kamal Thapa

Home Minister Kamal Thapa (File Photo)
After seeing the threat of vertical split for the second time in less than a year, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has expelled ten central members, including Home Minister Kamal Thapa from the party’s central working committee on Tuesday.

The RPP has expelled seven elected Central Working Committee (CWC) members including three ministers in the royal cabinet from the party for a period of six years.

Those expelled from the ordinary membership of the party include; Home Minister Kamal Thapa, assistant ministers Ms Roshan Karki and Bhuvan Pathak, CWC members Padma Sundar Lawoti, who is leading the dissident faction of RPP, former ministers Durga Shrestha, Rajiv Parajuli and Jagat Gauchan.

They were expelled on the charge of acting against the party statute by calling a special general convention of the party.

RPP Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana (left) and leader Deepak Bohara at a press conference at the RPP party office, Monday, Jan 09 05. nepalnews.com/rh

RPP Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana (left) and leader Deepak Bohara at a press conference at the RPP party office, Monday, Jan 09 05. nepalnews.com/rh
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Kathmandu, on Monday, RPP chairman Pashupati Shumser Rana said the party took action against its ten members as per the recommendation of the Disciplinary Committee of the RPP.

The party on Saturday had given them 24 hours notice to furnish explanations, but none of them responded.

Three other nominated CWC members – Toran Bahadur Gurung, Pratap Ram Lohar and Brajesh Kumar Gupta—have also been expelled from the central committee.

Rana accused that some “unseen forces” were active to weaken the party as it was standing strongly in favour of multiparty democracy. “But RPP will never compromise on the ideals of democracy,” he added.

Rana urged all party workers not to attend the special convention summoned by the dissident faction saying that it was an attempt to bring about split in the party.

He added that the general convention did not have any relevancy as the central committee had already resolved the issue.

Rana accused the ministers of the royal cabinet of trying to divide the party for “self-interest and misusing state resources.”

The dissident faction is holding `special convention’ of the party on January 10 and 11. However, the RPP high command issued a public notice Saturday saying that those participating in the convention will be expelled from the party membership.

The row in the RPP emerged on the issue of whether to participate in the municipal polls slated for February 8 this year and support the royal takeover after six members of the party were inducted in the council of ministers.