Rastriya Swatantra Party Gears Up for Government Formation, Ministry Selections Underway
Kathmandu is abuzz with anticipation as the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) prepares to form the new government this Friday. Senior leaders of the party, which secured 182 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives, are intensely focused on crafting a roadmap for the administration and finalizing ministerial appointments.
The inaugural Cabinet meeting, slated for Friday, is expected to enact a series of “100 decisions” aimed at enhancing governance and streamlining public service delivery, with a significant emphasis on digitization. Following this pivotal meeting, ministers will, on their first day in office, announce measures designed to provide immediate relief to the public, according to a government secretary.
Chief Secretary Suman Raj Aryal has diligently gathered feedback from various line ministries, compiling a comprehensive list of suggestions that has been submitted to the designated prime minister, Balendra Shah. Shah is scheduled to be sworn in on Friday. His core team will then meticulously review these proposals to inform the initial government decisions.
The process leading up to the official appointment has been dynamic. Following Shah’s election as parliamentary party leader on Thursday, party president Rabi Lamichhane and Shah convened at Lamichhane’s residence in Budhanilkantha. Their discussions centered on the government’s program and the critical task of finalizing the ministerial roster.
However, the deliberations remained confidential until late Thursday, with the outcome not being communicated to other senior party figures. A senior RSP leader indicated that the names of the new ministers would likely be revealed only on Friday morning, mere hours before Shah’s oath-taking ceremony administered by President Ramchandra Paudel.
The delay in ministerial selection has also impacted the formal announcement of Shah as prime minister by the President’s Office, which did not occur on Thursday as anticipated. The party has, however, formally notified the President’s Office of Shah’s election as its parliamentary party leader.
The framework for government formation is outlined in Article 76 of the Constitution. Specifically, Clause 76(1) stipulates that “The President shall appoint the leader of the parliamentary party that has the majority in the House of Representatives as the prime minister,” with the subsequent formation of a Council of Ministers under their leadership.
Sources within the RSP suggest that differences persist between Lamichhane and Shah regarding several key ministerial portfolios and other governmental arrangements. Despite a detailed discussion of proposed candidates during their meeting, an agreement on the complete cabinet composition was not reached, prompting a decision to reconvene on Friday morning.
Key points of contention reportedly include:
- Ministry Allocation: Disagreement over the total number of ministries, with proposals ranging from 16 to 18.
- Inclusivity and Representation: Ensuring the Cabinet meets the constitutional requirement of at least 33 percent representation for women.
- Home Minister Appointment: A dispute over the selection for the crucial Home Minister portfolio, with DP Aryal and Sunil Lamsal being considered.
- Leadership Roles: Candidates for the positions of House Speaker and presidents of parliamentary committees are also subjects of discussion.
Within RSP circles, several prominent names are circulating for significant roles in the new government. These include DP Aryal, Swarnim Wagle, Sishir Khanal, Dr. Lekhjung Thapa, Sunil Lamsal, Amresh Kumar Singh, Manish Jha, Sasmit Pokharel, Sobita Gautam, Dhananjaya Regmi, Deepak Bohora, Bipin Acharya, Sudan Gurung, and Biraj Bhakta Shrestha.
Beyond the immediate task of selecting ministers, Shah and Lamichhane are also engaged in developing the overarching “blueprint” for the new administration. Prior to the meeting at the RSP headquarters, Shah was formally elected as the parliamentary party leader during a joint session of the party’s central committee and its elected lawmakers. Following Shah’s election, Lamichhane had implored party members to place their trust in the leadership’s judgment for ministerial and Speaker selections.
Addressing a joint meeting of the central committee and the parliamentary party at the RSP central office in Banasthali on Thursday, Lamichhane emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards lobbying for ministerial positions. He articulated that selections would be based strictly on merit and expertise.
Balendra Shah is scheduled to take his oath of office at precisely 12:34 PM on Friday, adhering to Vedic-Sanatani traditions. Immediately after the ceremony, he will assume his official duties at Singha Durbar, the seat of government.
