Rastriya Swatantra Party Initiates Selection Process for 35,221 Local Level Candidates

20 Baishakh, Kathmandu – The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has actively commenced preparations for the upcoming local level elections even as the federal government is being formed. Participating for the first time in local elections, RSP has taken the lead ahead of other parties in organizing its candidate selection process. Unlike the 2079 Baishakh local elections, where RSP did not form a party list but participated in subsequent by-elections, the party, which had established itself as the first party in the House of Representatives elections, has now initiated rapid preparations at the central level for next year’s local elections. To select 35,221 candidates, the party has constituted a seven-member committee chaired by Co-General Secretary Bipin Kumar Acharya. The committee includes central members R.K. Dhungana, Samiksha Banskota, K.P. Khanal, Kamini Chaudhary, Ramkrishna Bhattarai, and Rohan Karki. R.K. Dhungana also serves as the committee’s secretary.

According to RSP, the committee is working to ensure the candidate selection process is transparent, inclusive, and based on merit. The “Candidate Selection Framework and Candidate Club Compilation Committee,” led by Acharya, has completed consultations and gathered suggestions from the ward to the provincial level. The draft report on local-level candidate selection was submitted to party chair Ravi Lamichhane on Sunday. Aspirants intending to stand as candidates must first pass through the Candidate Club and Leadership Academy as part of the eligibility criteria. RSP mandates that candidates for local elections must be registered party members and enlisted in the candidate club. Committee Secretary Dhungana stated that the party will soon publicize an announcement inviting registration to the candidate club. “Any legally qualified individual may apply, whether a new member or an existing one,” he confirmed.

RSP plans to provide pre-election training to members registered in the candidate club, focusing on developing leadership skills of candidates at every electoral level. Training sessions will cover party bylaws, duties and rights of public representatives, local government functions, and legal and practical aspects related to governance. Both fundamental and specialized courses will be offered, instructed by party leaders and subject matter experts. No candidate will be allowed to contest without a membership certificate. Initial election assessments will weigh votes, Leadership Academy performance, political proximity, and inclusiveness. The party will prioritize activism, local public engagement, and subject expertise. “We also consider candidates’ electability, core votes, and swing vote scenarios,” noted central member Dhungana.

Candidate selection will be based on evaluation of public relations skills, professional and educational experience, and social contributions. The party has stipulated a minimum of 33 percent women candidates at the local level, with automatic 10 percent extra points for Dalits, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups. The initial election carries a 40 percent weighting, and local party members will cast their votes. Per RSP’s bylaws, preliminary voting will only proceed if party members in a given area constitute at least one percent of the total electorate; otherwise, the central committee will undertake candidate selection. The Central Election Commission of RSP will oversee the preliminary election process. Candidates selected through preliminary elections may also be nominated by the central committee or an authorized body by consensus, as provided in the bylaws. The party had established a candidate selection method for the House of Representatives elections but could not implement it fully. During earlier by-elections, the application of the candidate selection process led to situations where elections could not be conducted.

During the 21 Falgun House of Representatives election, when RSP aligned with former Kathmandu Metropolitan Mayor Balendra Shah’s faction, preliminary voting did not take place; the party disclosed this information. Dhungana asserted that candidates would not be selected contrary to party procedures, stating, “Regarding the metropolitan area, the central secretariat holds 15 percent authority, but beyond that, the party’s established procedures apply.” According to RSP bylaws, individuals who have left other political parties are ineligible to run as candidates. However, this rule was not fully enforced during the last House of Representatives elections, with several entrants from other parties securing tickets. “Those individuals will receive lower scores in the candidate club. Even if they were former representatives or from other parties, they will score fewer points,” explained central member Dhungana. Since its inception, RSP has emphasized the principle that local representatives should be non-partisan. The party’s recent priority is that individuals leading local governments should be politically trained. Dhungana added, “Taking party membership and accepting the party’s bylaws and ideology is mandatory. Currently, due to constitutional provisions, it is not possible to contest as a non-partisan candidate.”