The merger process between the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) led by Ravi Lamichhane and Ujyaalo Nepal Party led by Kulman Ghising has collapsed in less than two weeks on Saturday. Former Minister for Energy and Water Resources, Ghising, who is credited for ending 16 hour long load -shedding in Nepal during his tenure as the head of Nepal Electricity Authority, announced that he and his team has disassociated from the RSP. Ghising, who assumed the post of Ujyalo Nepal Party, has announced that his party would field candidates in all 165 seats under across Nepal under the direct election during the March 5 general election.
Despite showing utmost flexibility during the merger process, we could not agree to move forward together with the RSP, Ghising told a crowded press meet in Kathmandu Saturday evening.
Ghising, last week resigned from the cabinet headed by Sushila Karki, in which he had served three ministries simultaniously. Ghising said he had resigned from the cabinet to join active politics. Ghising is likely to contest election from Kathmandu – 3. There are altogether 10 constituencies in the capital city.
Earlier, last month, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah and leader of Ujyalo Nepal Party Ghising had signed an agreement for unification to contest the upcoming elections jointly. RSP has projected Mayor Shah as the Prime Ministerial candidate on behalf of the party for the upcoming general elections.
“We broke the unification process as the RSP disagreed to our request for a supplementary agreement regarding inclusiveness and federalism,” Ghising told the press conference. He also requested the people to trust his party, which is contesting election in all 165 seats with good governance, zero tolerance to corruption and service delivery as the main agenda.
