What Lies Ahead For Lamichhane, RSP?

The arrest of Rabi Lamichhane on charges of misappropriating cooperative funds has led to a heated political debate in the nation. Right before and after being arrested, Lamichhane, a former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, urged his supporters and party members to stage protests in all districts against the government, which he believed was targeting leaders like him with false accusations. The followers of Lamichhane’s party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), seem to have adopted a narrative where they allege that their party leader was targeted by the CPN (UML) and the Nepali Congress as a victim of political vendetta.

After his arrest, Lamichhane was taken to Pokhara where Kaski District Administration was forced to impose a prohibitory order in certain areas to stop the pro-Lamichhane supporters from becoming anarchic and preventing the victims of the cooperative scam and RSP cadres from coming face to face and engaging in violence and vandalism in the streets of the tourist town.

Misappropriation  

Following the arrest of their party chair, leaders DP Aryal, Swarnim Wagle, Manish Jha, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, Harihar Dhakal, and others have expressed their solidarity to Lamichhane. The arrest has met with strong opposition from opposition parties, especially from the CPN-Maoist Centre, who claimed it to be a vindictive move. RSP supporters held the two major ruling parties responsible for not acting against Dhan Raj Gurung of the Congress and the UML’s Rishi Ram Pokhrel, who were accused of misappropriating cooperative funds with the help of their wives.

Political watchers believe that the arrest of Lamichhane, who was previously the managing director of Gorkha Media Private Limited, took place because of his alleged involvement in misappropriating cooperative savings. The current cooperative regulations prohibit non-members or media institutions from receiving savings under any pretext. Lamichhane is also accused of forging documents and taking part in organised crime. His case will have hearings conducted in Pokhara and other locations by the court.

Meanwhile, the special probe committee of the parliament recommended authorities act against all individuals, including Lamichhane, who were charged with the misappropriation of the cooperative funds, as per existing laws. The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested RSP chair Lamichhane following the Kaski District Court order to apprehend him to facilitate further investigation. The police administration sprang to action considering the complaints from cooperative scam victims and also details provided by Chhabi Lal Joshi, Lamichhane’s partner in Gorkha Media, who is also in police custody for similar charges.

Following his arrest, his party has found itself at a crossroads, and its future appears uncertain. If the court finds the firebrand RSP chair guilty, it would be an uphill task for him to bounce back and save his political career. Should he be convicted, the court can hand him a sentence of up to seven years imprisonment, which could deliver a telling blow to his ambition and political career as our constitution disallows a person having proven engagement in criminal activities from contesting any election.

On the other hand, the potential indictment of Lamichhane, a former TV celebrity turned politician, could seriously weaken the RSP, a party that quickly gained fame. With 22 parliamentarians, the party, led by Lamichhane’s charisma, secured the fourth largest position in Parliament after the 2022 general elections. With his rise to fame, he became known as a leader who opposes corruption, which boosted his party’s standing in the country’s parliament. However, owing to his somewhat tarnished reputation now, RSP members may internally struggle with leadership, as his presence was a major draw for many. The party could experience a leadership crisis, causing it to splinter into factions or experience defections.

Some months ago, the party encountered a crisis when it had to remove its general secretary for making controversial remarks against chair Lamichhane and other leaders. General secretary Mukul Dhakaa charged Lamichhane for his involvement in corruption and other activities that harmed the RSP. Before Dhakal, the RSP had expelled a parliamentarian named Dhaka Kumar Shrestha from the party. Shrestha had solicited money from a medical entrepreneur, which he would pay off top party leaders in exchange for being appointed as the Health Minister. After the revelation of unsavoury event, the party expelled Shrestha. These episodes, without doubt, have massively harmed the reputation of the party.

It’s widely acknowledged that populist sentiments fuelled Lamichhane’s success as a prominent leader. His powerful words against the established political parties and their leaders captured the attention of many young people and urban middle-class people in Nepal, who remained disappointed with the performance of traditional parties over the past three decades.

Future political landscape

It is widely seen that how the public perceives Lamichhane’s arrest will influence the future political landscape. A severe electoral backlash could be in store for Lamichhane and his party if the public perceives the charges as legitimate. Voters who were initially drawn to the party’s anti-corruption platform are likely to decrease their support for RSP in the local or national elections.

If Lamichhane can present himself as a victim of political persecution and evade any convictions, he may garner public support and earn the reputation of a hero, especially among those who are disenchanted with the traditional parties and their leaders. Some of Lamichhane’s hardcore supporters might view negative verdicts against him as politically motivated or biased, intensifying populist rhetoric and further eroding trust in traditional institutions.

Having said all, the potential indictment of Lamichhane could diminish the public’s trust in the RSP’s ability to deliver on its promise of transparent and effective governance. Furthermore, the matter for the RSP chief and his party has been worsened by the pending cases regarding his dual passports and citizenship issues. But there are certain sections who believe that Lamichhane can come out unharmed if he gives up his fiery rhetoric and stance against two major ruling parties and helps assist in investigation. 

(Upadhyay is a former managing editor of this daily)