Rastriya Swatantra Party Enforces Strict Governance: Minister Dismissed Amid Controversy

Following a recommendation from Rastriya Swatantra Party (Raswapa) Chairman Ravi Lamichhane, Prime Minister Balendra Shah removed Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Security Deepak Kumar Sah from his post within 14 days. The disciplinary committee recommended action after finding that Minister Sah violated the party constitution by appointing his wife as a member of the Health Insurance Board.

Kathmandu, 26 Chaitra — After investigations and information regarding Minister Sah presented by Raswapa Chairman Ravi Lamichhane, Prime Minister Balendra Shah officially dismissed him from the ministerial position on Thursday. Minister Sah came under fire for allegedly abusing his office to secure a permanent appointment for his wife, Junu Shrestha, as a member of the Health Insurance Board, which was deemed a violation of party rules.

Article 71 of the Raswapa constitution explicitly prohibits appointing family members to any party or state bodies. Specifically, clause 71(2) states, “No recommendation or nomination shall be made for appointing family members of central or provincial party body members to any party or state organization.”

Raswapa’s acting disciplinary committee chief, Ramakant Rimal, confirmed that after verifying the violation of party regulations by Minister Sah, the committee recommended appropriate disciplinary measures. As Sah’s conduct contradicted the party’s values, policies, and principles, Chairman Lamichhane sent a letter recommending disciplinary action.

Following media reports exposing Minister Sah’s irregularities, the disciplinary committee sought clarification from him; however, Sah provided false and incomplete information. Based on this, Chairman Lamichhane recommended to the Prime Minister on 26 Chaitra to remove Sah from his post. The dismissal was made under Articles 25(4) and 69 of the party constitution. Article 25(4) emphasizes the chairman’s responsibility to uphold party ideals and dignity, while Article 69 allows recalling officials if they misuse their position.

Adhering to party constitution enforcement, Chairman Lamichhane’s recommendation led Prime Minister Shah to dismiss Minister Sah. Political analyst and professor Dr. Krishna Pokharel stated this move clearly signals Raswapa’s commitment to good governance. He noted, “In a parliamentary system, the Prime Minister holds the authority to dismiss ministers, and decisions based on party recommendations must be accepted by all.”

Chairman Lamichhane has previously oriented party MPs, affirming strict discipline within the party and rejecting any anarchic tendencies. He stated in an address, “We will enforce the ‘Right to Recall’ rigorously.”

Since its inception, Raswapa’s constitution includes provisions for recalling MPs. The revised constitution maintains this mechanism, allowing for recall of both directly elected and proportional representation members. Directly elected representatives can be recalled by general members, while proportional representatives can be recalled by the central committee. Proportional representatives acting against party interests may be subject to performance evaluations or other recall reasons. Article 69 empowers ordinary members dissatisfied with their representatives’ performance to initiate recall processes through the central committee according to regulations.

Due to the alliance with former Kathmandu Metropolitan City chief Balendra Shah’s faction during candidate selection, Raswapa had to finalize nominations hurriedly. Candidates from various parties and professions, some with controversial past behavior, joined Raswapa, which has drawn criticism.

Dr. Pokharel explained, “There was limited time to thoroughly vet the MPs’ backgrounds, and legal complexities exist in recalling members. The constitution mandates a somewhat complex process.”

In a prior instance, proportional representative MP Dhaka Kumar Shrestha was dismissed from Raswapa following an audio scandal revealing financial irregularities. Transparency International Nepal’s former chairman Khemraj Regmi regarded such actions positively, stating, “Immediate disciplinary action upon evidence of nepotism sends a constructive message.”