Rashtriya Prajatantra Party
Encyclopedia
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (National Democratic Party) is a Nepal
ese political party. It is a right-wing pro-monarchy party, formed out of the political elite of the erstwhile Panchayat system, formed on 1990, after reestablishment of democracy in Nepal.
In 1997 RPP split after the faction led by pro-monarchy politician Lokendra Bahadur Chand
joined a coalition government with Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist)
, with Chand as Prime Minister. The faction led by Surya Bahadur Thapa
allied itself with Nepali Congress
and toppled the UML-RPP government. Effectively RPP-Chand
began to function as a separate party. In 1998 the RPP-Chand and RPP-Thapa were reunited, after both factions had fared badly in the elections that year.
In the 1999 legislative elections
, the party won 10.4 % of the popular vote and 11 out of 205 seats.
At the third general convention of RPP, held in Pokhara
December 2002, Thapa retired from his post as party chairman (which was mandatory according to the party constitution, as he had served two four-year terms). There were three candidates for the party chairmanship; the then general secretary Pashupati SJB Rana, the vice-chairman Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani
and the Central Committee Member Rabindra Nath Sharma
. Rana was elected as the new chairman with 735 votes. Lohani got 321 votes and Sharma 135 votes. A new Central Working Committee was elected, consisting of Kamal Thapa, Jayanta Chand, Buddhiman Tamang, Surya Bahadur K.C., Jog Mehar Shrestha, Padma Sundar Lawati, Bikram Pandey Dhurba Bahadur Pradhan, Parsu Ram Khapung, Deepak Bohora, Balaram Gharti Magar
, Jagat Gauchan, Khem Raj Pandit, Rajiv Parajuli, Govinda Raj Khaniya, Prem Bahadur Bhandar, Bhuwan Pathak and Narendra Kumar Chaudhary. The convention also elected a 64-member Central Committee.
The party split again in 2005 when Thapa broke away. His party is today registered as Rastriya Janashakti Party
.
When the King dissolved parliament, he had appointed RPP leader Kamal Thapa
as Home Minister. RPP then suffered another split, with Kamal Thapa forming his own RPP (which later became known as 'RPP Nepal').
In the 2008 election to the Constituent Assembly
the party won 8 out of 601 seats.
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
ese political party. It is a right-wing pro-monarchy party, formed out of the political elite of the erstwhile Panchayat system, formed on 1990, after reestablishment of democracy in Nepal.
In 1997 RPP split after the faction led by pro-monarchy politician Lokendra Bahadur Chand
Lokendra Bahadur Chand
Lokendra Bahadur Chand was the prime minister of Nepal four times: from 1983 to 1986, briefly during April 1990, briefly during 1997, and from October 2002 until June 2003. He is a major supporter of the Nepalese monarchy...
joined a coalition government with Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist)
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist)
The Communist Party of Nepal , also known as CPN-UML, CPN, is one of the largest communist parties in Nepal. It was created on January 6, 1991 through the unification of the Communist Party of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal...
, with Chand as Prime Minister. The faction led by Surya Bahadur Thapa
Surya Bahadur Thapa
Surya Bahadur Thapa has been Prime Minister of Nepal five times, under three different kings, in a political career lasting nearly 50 years. His terms were 1963-64, 1965–69, 1979–83, 1997–98 and 2003-04....
allied itself with Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
and toppled the UML-RPP government. Effectively RPP-Chand
Rashtriya Prajatantra Party-Chand
Rashtriya Prajatantra Party-Chand was a Nepalese political party. It was a right-wing pro-monarchy party, formed out of the political elite of the erstwhile Panchayat system....
began to function as a separate party. In 1998 the RPP-Chand and RPP-Thapa were reunited, after both factions had fared badly in the elections that year.
In the 1999 legislative elections
Nepalese legislative elections, 1999
A legislative election was held in Nepal on May 3 and May 17, 1999.-Background and outcome:The last elections to the Pratinidhi Sabha prior to these had been in 1994 when the Communist Party of Nepal and been victorious and formed the first ever 'communist monarchy'. Yet by 1999, infighting, such...
, the party won 10.4 % of the popular vote and 11 out of 205 seats.
At the third general convention of RPP, held in Pokhara
Pokhara
Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City is the second largest city of Nepal. Pokhara is city of close to 350,000 inhabitants in central Nepal located at 28.25°N, 83.99°E, which is the centre of the country from east to west or from north to south, 198 km west of Kathmandu or 90 km west of Mugling, and...
December 2002, Thapa retired from his post as party chairman (which was mandatory according to the party constitution, as he had served two four-year terms). There were three candidates for the party chairmanship; the then general secretary Pashupati SJB Rana, the vice-chairman Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani
Prakash Chandra Lohani
Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani is a Nepalese politician, economist, and co-president and head of the parliamentary department of Rastriya Janashakti Party ....
and the Central Committee Member Rabindra Nath Sharma
Rabindra Nath Sharma
Rabindra Nath Sharma was a Nepalese politician, leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Minister of Finance of Nepal....
. Rana was elected as the new chairman with 735 votes. Lohani got 321 votes and Sharma 135 votes. A new Central Working Committee was elected, consisting of Kamal Thapa, Jayanta Chand, Buddhiman Tamang, Surya Bahadur K.C., Jog Mehar Shrestha, Padma Sundar Lawati, Bikram Pandey Dhurba Bahadur Pradhan, Parsu Ram Khapung, Deepak Bohora, Balaram Gharti Magar
Balaram Gharti Magar
Balaram Gharti Magar is a political leader of Nepal. He became minister 11 times in the past, during Panchayat System, and after the declaration of multi party system. Roughly, he remained in different governments as a minister for about 30 years in the past. He is a Central Committee Member,...
, Jagat Gauchan, Khem Raj Pandit, Rajiv Parajuli, Govinda Raj Khaniya, Prem Bahadur Bhandar, Bhuwan Pathak and Narendra Kumar Chaudhary. The convention also elected a 64-member Central Committee.
The party split again in 2005 when Thapa broke away. His party is today registered as Rastriya Janashakti Party
Rastriya Janashakti Party
Rastriya Janashakti Party is a liberal political party in Nepal, led by former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa. Thapa had split away from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party in November 2004. The party is registered with the Election Commission of Nepal in March 2005.-Leadership:The party is led by...
.
When the King dissolved parliament, he had appointed RPP leader Kamal Thapa
Kamal Thapa
Kamal Thapa is the current president of Nepal's only royalist party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal. He served as a Home Minister during King Gyanendra's direct rule in 2006 until the king was forced to handover power to Gerija Prasad Koirala of the Nepali Congress Party and his allies with...
as Home Minister. RPP then suffered another split, with Kamal Thapa forming his own RPP (which later became known as 'RPP Nepal').
In the 2008 election to the Constituent Assembly
Nepalese Constituent Assembly election, 2008
A general election for the Constituent Assembly was held in Nepal on 10 April 2008 after having been postponed from earlier dates of 7 June 2007 and 22 November 2007. The Nepalese Constituent Assembly will draft a new constitution; it will therefore decide, amongst other things, on the issue of...
the party won 8 out of 601 seats.
External links
- Party website
- Info on the party from FES
- On the verge of split, article in Spotlight