The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has urged individuals appointed by previous governments to resign, stating that the country is entering a new phase of government formation with a fresh, nearly two-thirds mandate.
The party concluded that this move is necessary to address significant public dissatisfaction, citing numerous examples where previous governments made appointments based on political influence and access rather than merit or capability.
"We haven't formally asked those with political appointments from previous governments to resign immediately. The government formation process is still underway," RSP General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti told Setopati. "However, it has been observed that previous governments prioritized party workers and cronies over merit, expertise, and competence while making political appointments. The public is unhappy with this. If the government to be formed under a fresh mandate continues with those same appointments, it would simply be a continuation of the old ways. Therefore, our intent is for them to pave the way."
According to Burlakoti, the party or the government will not call for the resignations of such political appointees at once. While past practices involved recalling ambassadors or heads of government corporations and agencies, the RSP has not yet entered formal discussions on what specific steps to take this time.
However, Burlakoti clarified that the party expects those holding political appointments to resign voluntarily.
According to him, the party hasn't requested an official list of such appointments made by previous governments, but informal channels suggest approximately 1,100 such appointments have been made.
The party believes that if these individuals step aside, it will help the new government select qualified and capable experts and deliver results that meet public expectations.
In the recent House of Representatives election held on March 5, the RSP secured nearly a two-thirds majority. The party won a total of 182 seats – 125 under the first-past-the-post system and 57 under proportional representation.
The RSP’s proposed prime minister, Balen Shah, is set to take the oath of office and secrecy on March 27. The party will elect him as the parliamentary party leader on March 26.
President Ram Chandra Paudel is expected to appoint Shah as prime minister under Article 76 (1) of the Constitution.
