Lamichhane re-acquires citizenship becomes party president

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane has been re-elected as the president of Rastriya Swotantra Party. Lamichhane has lost all the posts including the posts of Deputy Prime Minister, Home Minister, member of House of Representatives and Party president after the Supreme Court on Friday issuing a verdict annulled his Parliament membership citing that his citizenship certificate was not valid while contesting the election of the HoR.

Lamichhane on Sunday acquired a citizenship certificate from District Administration Office Kathmandu by producing necessary documents. According to Lamichhane’s Press Advisor Navaraj Pande has confirmed that he “re-acquired a Nepali citizenship certificate on Sunday.”

During the central committee meeting of the RSP held on Sunday itself, he has been re-elected as the President of the party, said party sources.

Lamichhane, who had returned to Nepal after spending years in the United States had ran television shows without acquiring work permit creating controversy. He then quit the US citizenship but did not initiate the process of re-aquiring Nepalese citizenship certificate.

He contested Parliament election held on November 20 on the basis of the old citizenship, which was already nullified after he became a US citizenship. His party rose to power within six months after its establishment and a television journalist Lamichhane was elevated to the post of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister after his party emerged the fourth largest party with 20 seats in the HoR.

However, after the apex court annulled his status as the Parliament Member, he was forced to resign from the cabinet after remaining 32 days in power.