The first phase of election under the first general convention of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has concluded.
The results of the election held for 99 central committee positions have yet to be announced.
A total of 2,959 delegates cast their votes in the election, which was conducted using electronic voting machines.
The RSP has not officially disclosed the number of delegates participating in the general convention. However, according to party leaders, there were 4,311 general convention delegates.
Based on that figure, more than 1,300 delegates did not cast their votes in the first phase. It The exact reason for their absence remains unclear.
Party leaders, however, said many delegates had started returning home due to delays in the voting process.
Speaking to journalists at the general convention venue on Thursday afternoon, party spokesperson Manish Jha said that although there were reports that many delegates had left, the participation of nearly 3,000 voters should still be viewed as satisfactory.
According to Jha, party President Rabi Lamichhane has already instructed the party's election commission to begin preparations for the second phase of voting.
The second round of voting is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on Thursday. It is estimated that each delegate will take around five minutes to cast their votes.
Elections are yet to be held for the positions of vice-president (open), woman vice-president, general secretary, two joint general secretaries (open), and one woman joint general secretary. It has not yet been confirmed who will file nominations for these positions.
The general convention delegates will vote in these elections as well. Therefore, leaders including Hari Dhakal, Sobita Gautam, Shishir Khanal, and Dr Tosima Karki have urged delegates to return home only after participating in the second phase of voting.
The party’s management of the general convention has come under criticism from both delegates and leaders for being weak. Spokesperson Jha admitted that the party is embarrassed by the managerial shortcomings.
Meanwhile, central committee candidate and lawmaker Tika Sangraula Jwala has filed a complaint with the party's election commission, claiming that her full name was not displayed on the electronic voting machine. She said that delegates had complained that "Jwala" was missing from her name on the machine.
The RSP general convention was originally scheduled to take place from June 21 to 23 in Bharatpur, Chitwan. However, the general convention was prolonged due to delays in finalizing the delegates. Party President Rabi Lamichhane had already been elected unopposed before the delegate selection process was completed.
Although the party arranged food and refreshments for delegates, it did not provide accommodation, requiring delegates to make their own lodging arrangements. As the convention dragged on, some delegates returned home.
A delegate from Sindhupalchowk said that he was returning since the general convention had extended beyond its original schedule.
"I had gone for a three-day general convention, but it stretched to five days, so I'm heading home,” he told Setopati. “I cast my vote for central committee members. I believe if good central members are elected, good office-bearers will also be chosen."
Party leaders are concerned that voter turnout in the election for office-bearers could be even lower than in the central committee election.
