RSP is ringing bell to big parties

Newly established and lesser known, Rastriya Swotantra Party with the election symbol Bell, is leading in four constituencies of Kathmandu district (till Monday afternoon) as the vote counting of the recently concluded the Parliamentary elections continues. The party established by Ravi Lamicchane, a US returnee, who was running television programme, some time ago, is giving a blow to well established national parties such as Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre.

RSP is currently leading in Kathmandu 2, Kathmadu 6, Kathmandu 7 and Kathmandu 8, where Sovita Gautam, Shishir Khanal, Ganesh Parajuli and Birajbhakta Shrestha are respectively contesting the elections.

In fact, the newly formed party is ringing bell to bigger and well established political parties.

“We have got good response from the people. I am hopeful to win at least 5-6 seats under direct voting and equal number of seats under proportionate voting,” Birajbhakta Shrestha a candidate from RSP, who is contesting from Kathmandu – 8 said. ‘It is likely that our party will emerge as a key player in national politics in future,” he pointed out. We have got overwhelming support from the people in the election may be because they liked our agenda such as “checking corruption, good governance, employment opportunity to the youth, clean environment and climate change,”  he added.

The ill performance of big political parties, their non-delivery of service to the people, rampant corruption and power-centred politics pursued by the top leaders of the major political parties have angered not only the general public, but also the cadres of the big parties too. This time the people have expressed their dissatisfaction and frustration by voting against the big parties and RSP has become their natural choice.

RSP is not only emerging as the national party, but it has also shown the potential to become one of the key players in Nepalis politics in the next five years.

The party is also leading in Lalitpur-3 constituency giving a blow to CPN-UML and CPN- Maoist candidates and is expected to win Chitwan – 2 seat. The party is likely to win around half a dozen seats in direct election and equal number of seats in proportionate voting system.