Kathmandu, Apr 25 (PTI) The Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the fourth largest party in Nepal’s Parliament, has won two out of three seats of the House of Representatives in recently held by-elections, in a surprise defeat to the ruling alliance.
On Sunday, by-elections were held in Nepal’s three constituencies Tanhun-1, Chitawan-2 and Bara-2.
The by-polls in the three constituencies have become a prestige issue for both the ruling alliance and the RSP, which has not yet withdrawn its support to the Prachanda-led coalition government, though its ministers had already quit the government.
Ravi Lamichhane, former TV journalist and the president of the RSP, and prominent economist Swornim Wagle both have won the elections held in Chitawan – 2 and Tanhun – 1 constituency with a huge margin giving a big blow to the ruling alliance.
RSP chief Lamichhane secured 54,276 votes, while his nearest rival Jit Narayan Shrestha of the Nepali Congress secured just 11,251 votes.
RSP’s other candidate Wagle has secured 34,919 votes, against his nearest rival Govinda Bhattarai from the Nepali Congress, who received 20,122 votes.
As the Supreme Court revoked his Parliament membership over the citizenship issue, Lamichhane was compelled to obtain back his citizenship and prepare for the by-election.
The by-polls were held after two lawmakers — Ram Chandra Poudel and Ramsahay Prasad Yadav — were elected as the President and Vice-president and the third one Lamichhane of the RSP — lost his HoR membership due to legal flaws in his citizenship.
However, in Bara-2 constituency Janata Samajwadi Party president Upendra Yadav is leading with 18,496 votes while his nearest rival from Janamat Party, Shivachandra Kushawaha is following with 14,174 votes.
Yadav has got support from the ruling alliance.
The victory for the newly formed RSP was a shameful defeat for the larger parties run by senior leaders. In both constituencies, the Nepali Congress had fielded its candidates with the backing of the ruling alliance.
The new eight-party Prachanda-led alliance includes the Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist Centre, CPN-Unified Socialist, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Janamat Party, Janta Samajwadi Party, Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party, and Rashtriya Janamorcha.
In the 275-member House, the UML has 78 lawmakers while CPN (Maoist Center) has 32. CPN (Unified Socialist) and RSP have 10 and 20 members, respectively. Janamat Party has 6 members, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party 4, and Nagarik Unmukti Party 3 members in the Parliament. PTI SBP AMS ZH AKJ ZH
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