KATHMANDU, MAY 5
Rastriya Swatantra Party, which won two seats out of three in the recently concluded by-elections, today decided to withdraw support to the government led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
RSP Chair Rabi Lamichhane told medaipersons that a joint meeting of the party's central committee and the parliamentary party 'unanimously decided to withdraw support to the government and remain in the opposition bench."
"The mandate from the by-election this time and the sentiments of most of our well-wishers and Nepali people across the country and abroad was that we now have to play the role of a strong opposition," Lamichhane told medaipersons after the meeting.
"Our priority now will be organisation building. We understand that many people want to see what a constructive opposition looks like," added Lamichhane.
The RSP has 21 lawmakers in the Lower House .
Even though the RSP, which participated in the Dahal-led government formed on 26 December 2022, left the government on 5 February 2023, it had not withdraw its support 'for the sake of stability'.
Dahal, who was appointed prime minister on 25 December 2022 , took the vote of confidence for the first time on January 10 and again on March 20. The RSP was in the government when Dahal took the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on January 10. After the second trust vote of March 20, RSP left the government though it continued to support Dahal.
In the recently concluded by-elections, RSP Chair Lamichhane was elected from Chitwan-2 and Swarnim Wagle from Tanahun-1.
Earlier this week, RSP Spokesperson Mukul Dhakal had said, "Whether or not the government will survive is a matter of policies and programmes, not the ministry allocated. It's a matter of whether or not things will work as we think."
There is a difference of opinion among experts on whether or not Prime Minister Dahal should seek another vote of confidence as the RSP has withdrawn its support. Some argue that Dahal should take a trust vote, while others do not see the need for it.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 6, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
