RSP suspends Secretary General Mukul Dhakal for seven days :: Setopati :: Setopati

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has suspended General Secretary Mukul Dhakal for seven days.

According to central member Shishir Khanal, Dhakal was suspended for indiscipline at the party’s central committee meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting also elected Deputy Secretary General Kabindra Burlakoti as Acting Secretary General and Manish Jha as Speaker.

The party itself handed over the suspension letter to Dhakal on Wednesday. The letter, signed by Vice President DP Aryal, cites his undisciplined, abusive, improper and undignified behaviour and statements that could negatively reflect on the party’s image and lead to suspension.

Meanwhile, Dhakal complained that he was not even given an opportunity to clarify and claimed that the action was not in accordance with the Political Parties Act and prevailing political customs.

Aryal had earlier stated that Dhakal could not be accepted as Secretary General. He had stressed that Dhakal deserved action not because of his report but because of his abnormal activities.

The party’s disciplinary committee had on June 28 asked Dhakal to give an explanation within seven days as to why he had leaked his report to the media before submitting it to the party. Dhakal claimed that he had prepared to give his written explanation at the central committee meeting on Wednesday, but President Rbai Lamichhane stopped him from doing so.

In protest, Dhakal also sealed his mouth with black tape and claimed that Lamichhane had not complied with his demand for a live broadcast of the Central Committee meeting.

The party had sent Dhakal to the constituency after its candidate Milan Limbu could not even maintain his victory in the recent by-election in Ilam-2.

He prepared the report after completing his field visit.

The report suggests that the party should move forward with independent elected representatives like Balen Shah and Gopal Hamal. The report contains some scathing remarks, including the need to make the party the RSP and not the party of Rabi Lamichhane.