The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is set to re-elect Ravi Lamichhane as the party president from its first general convention to be held in Chitwan on 27-28 Asad. The party leaders have been publicly stating that there is no alternative to Lamichhane as the party president. 

The RSS is set to hold its first general convention in four years of its establishment. The RSS, established under the leadership of Lamichhane in Asad 2079, won 20 seats in the House of Representatives elections held in just five months. Similarly, it added one seat in the by-elections held five months later. The RSS, which won almost two-thirds of the seats (182) in the House of Representatives elections held on 21 Falgun, is currently leading the government. 

General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti said that there is no sign of a change in the party's core leadership in the upcoming general convention. 'Ravi Lamichhane is the party president. The government is being led by senior party leader and parliamentary party leader Balendra Shah. The party will move forward only by striking this balance,' he said. Ganesh Parajuli, deputy leader of the RSVP parliamentary party, also said that the party is moving forward unitedly and that Lamichhane will lead the party. 'The RSVP is not looking for a new leadership. The Nepali people have not looked for an alternative to the president,' he said, 'The general convention will finalize all legal responsibilities through a democratic process.' 

Discussions are also underway to make an honorary provision for Prime Minister Balendra Shah's position as 'senior leader' in the statute. Senior leader Shah has also told his close associates that Lamichhane will lead the party. According to a leader, Shah will go to the general convention and participate in the party leadership announcement program. Other office bearers are also being selected through consensus. RSVP leaders say that discussions will be held after the provincial convention is over. 

Currently, the RSVP is holding ward and municipal conventions. Central leaders are deployed in the relevant areas to hold municipal conventions. The RSVP had assigned responsibility to central members in all districts to hold municipal and district conventions. Ram Gurung, Deputy Chief of the Central Election Commission of the Nepali Congress, informed that the ward and local level conventions are being held as per the schedule.

The Central Election Commission had sent a schedule to the district and provincial presidents on 7th Jestha regarding the preparations for the first general convention. It has been asked to form election committees in the districts and provinces by 15th Jestha. The district and provincial committees have been given time to submit the names of the general convention delegates by 25th Jestha. They have been asked to submit the district convention and election report by 30th Jestha. Similarly, the details of the elected office bearers from the provincial convention will have to be submitted by 5th Asad. 

The Central Election Commission is discussing the use of electronic voting machines in the general convention. The commission is preparing to discuss this by 5th Asad. 

According to Gurung, Deputy Chief of the Commission, conventions have been held in about 2800 of the 6,743 wards as of Monday. ‘The municipal convention has been scheduled for 16 and 17 Jestha, and conventions have been held in about 50 municipalities,’ he said, ‘Leadership is being selected unanimously and through elections. When there is competition, capable leaders come. When there is consensus, the party is united.’ 

According to RSP leader Prakash Chandra Pariyar, a main organizing committee has been formed under the leadership of President Lamichhane to organize the convention. For the convention itself, committees have been formed for delegate management, report and proposal drafting, financial management, publicity, security, information technology, housing and food, health and first aid, cultural programs, hospitality, statute amendment and decoration. 

According to leader Pariyar, the RSP is represented at the local level only in Feta rural municipality of Bara. The chairman of that rural municipality, Rustam Ansari, and vice-chairman Neelam Shah, will automatically be the general convention representatives. RSP members of the House of Representatives and members of the general convention organizing committee will also automatically be the general convention representatives. ‘We estimate that at least 2,500 representatives from 77 districts will participate in the general convention,’ he said, ‘there will also be representation from immigration and various departments.’ 

The general convention representatives are elected from the disciplinary commission, accounts commission, election commission, advisory council, and rapid response team (RAT) on the departmental side. It has been instructed that at least one-third of the general convention representatives should be women. 

Lamichhane will be reappointed as the president, efforts will be made to reach a consensus on other office bearers, and a president, three vice presidents, two general secretaries, three joint general secretaries, a treasurer and co-treasurer and a spokesperson will be made through the amendment of the statute. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is also doing its homework on amending the statute. The statute prepared in 2079 BS was amended for the first time in 2081 BS. Now, a committee has been formed under the leadership of the party’s Joint General Secretary Bipin Acharya for the second amendment. The committee includes Ganesh Parajuli, Chanda Karki, Prakash Chandra Pariyar, and Sushant Vaidhik. Coordinator Acharya informed that the work of the statute amendment committee has reached the final stage. He said, "We will prepare a proposal on the content to be amended and present it at the party secretariat meeting."

According to a member of the statute amendment committee, discussions are underway to amend the statute so that the office bearers include a president, three vice presidents (at least one woman), two general secretaries, three joint general secretaries (at least one woman), a treasurer and co-treasurer and a spokesperson. Since Prime Minister Shah is a senior leader of the party, discussions are also underway to make this position an honorary position in the statute, the member informed.

Discussions are underway to increase the central committee from the current 121 members to at least 131 and a maximum of 151 members. The member said that the committee is discussing how to represent an inclusive Nepal among party office bearers and central members. The current statute has a provision that the president and central members are elected by the general convention representatives, and then the central members elect the office bearers other than the president from among the central members. Another member of the statute amendment committee informed that discussions are underway on whether to maintain this provision or amend the statute so that all office bearers and central members are elected by the general convention representatives. 

A task force formed under the coordination of General Secretary Bhupdev Shah is discussing how to integrate the leaders who came from the unity process. ‘Tharuhat, Bibeksheel Sajha, independent individuals and activists have come. The task force led by General Secretary Bhupdev Shah is working to integrate friends who came from various parties and political forces,’ said General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti. 

The Central Election Commission is discussing the use of electronic voting machines in the general convention. The commission is preparing to discuss this by 20 Ashad. Prime Minister Balendra Shah also joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on the eve of the elections. The RSS had also reached an agreement to unite with Kulman Ghising-led Ujjala Nepal, but even after that unity  broke down, some leaders did not return to Ujjala Nepal and stayed in the RSS. 

Pradeep Gyawali, a member of the general convention organizing committee, said that preparations are being made to select a capable and united leadership from the general convention. ‘Our party, which is running the government by winning 182 seats in the elections after the Gen-G rebellion, is holding its first general convention,’ he said, ‘The upcoming general convention will ensure capable leadership and youth participation in the party.’ 

Why is the RSVP general convention in Chitwan?

The RSVP is holding its first general convention in Chitwan to mark its foundation day. A few days ago, RSVP General Secretary Kavindra Burlakoti had said about the reason for holding the general convention in Chitwan outside the Parliament building, ‘Chitwan is like the center of everything. Another is the epicenter of the party, the district where the party received a lot of votes and received a very large public vote in the establishment of the party. It is also close to the capital, which may be one of the reasons why the president won the election there.'