Rabi Lamichhane has been re-elected unopposed as president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) during the party’s first national general convention currently being held in Chitwan. According to the party’s Central Election Commission, Lamichhane was the sole candidate to register for the position and was therefore declared elected without a contest. His candidacy was proposed by senior party leader and Prime Minister Balendra “Balen” Shah.
As the convention progresses, the party has begun the nomination process for its 99-member Central Committee. While the positions of party president and senior leader are exempt from election to the committee, members will be chosen through voting scheduled to begin tomorrow.
During the convention, Lamichhane presented an extensive political report titled “From Zero to Singha Durbar in Four Years,” outlining the party’s evolution, achievements, and future direction. He said the RSP was formed by individuals from diverse professional backgrounds who entered politics after concluding that meaningful reform could only be achieved from within the system. The report criticized corruption, lack of accountability, and the growing influence of middlemen in politics.
A key highlight of the convention was the party’s decision to adopt “Social Democracy” as its guiding ideology, replacing its earlier commitment to constitutional socialism. The new framework is based on five pillars: a competitive liberal economy, rule of law, accountable government, a welfare state, and an inclusive society.
Lamichhane also reiterated the party’s support for constitutional reforms, including a directly elected executive, a fully proportional electoral system, and restructuring of key state institutions to strengthen governance and representation.
