- Rabi Lamichhane instructed RSP ministers and lawmakers to maintain parliamentary dignity and prioritize tangible results over social media publicity.
- He emphasized stronger coordination between ministers and lawmakers to address internal disagreements and ensure effective governance.
- Lamichhane warned against undignified public behavior and stressed the importance of regular attendance and adherence to parliamentary rules.
- The party formed a task force to amend its parliamentary party statute, aiming to strengthen internal procedures and institutional discipline.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane has instructed the party’s ministers, lawmakers and leaders to maintain parliamentary dignity, improve coordination and communication, and focus on results rather than publicity.
Lamichhane gave the instruction during a meeting with RSP ministers and lawmakers on Wednesday after the conduct, statements and activities of some party representatives increasingly became subjects of criticism and trolling on social media. He urged party members to be more responsible in their public behaviour, saying the actions of individual lawmakers and ministers can affect the image of the entire party.
The meeting was held in the absence of parliamentary party leader and Prime Minister Balendra Shah. Lamichhane led the discussion with ministers and lawmakers on behalf of the party leadership and addressed growing concerns about coordination between the party, government and parliamentary wing.
A major issue raised during the meeting was the growing distance between RSP ministers and lawmakers. Some lawmakers reportedly complained that ministers were not listening sufficiently to their concerns, while disagreements between the two sides had begun to surface even in Parliament.
Lamichhane asked lawmakers to send him copies of questions they submit to ministers so that he could also review them. “Send me a copy when you write questions to ministers. I will study them as well,” he said. He stressed that lawmakers carry questions raised by citizens and that stronger coordination between lawmakers, the party and government is necessary for effective governance.
“Lawmakers have questions from the people. Lawmakers have questions for ministers. Let us strengthen coordination among the lawmakers, the party and the government,” Lamichhane said.
The RSP chair also expressed concern over the parliamentary conduct of some lawmakers. He reminded them that regular attendance, adherence to parliamentary rules and respectful behaviour are basic responsibilities of elected representatives.
“You must attend Parliament regularly. You cannot make the parliamentary rules yourself, pass them and then fail to follow them,” Lamichhane said. He then warned lawmakers, “Do not create a spectacle through undignified activities.”
The remarks came amid concerns about lawmakers speaking in inappropriate ways, missing parliamentary sessions and leaving meetings without sufficient justification. For a party that rose to prominence by promising a different political culture, such behaviour has increasingly become a matter of public scrutiny.
Lamichhane also urged party leaders and lawmakers not to treat political office as a short-term opportunity. He said building a political party and developing an institutional political culture takes time and warned against acting as though party members had entered politics only for a five-year term.
“If you think you can do whatever you want and that you have come here only for these five years, there will be no place for such people,” he said. “If you intend to do politics for only five years, I will bid you farewell with garlands.”
The statement reflected Lamichhane’s concern that the party must develop a long-term institutional culture rather than depend only on the political popularity that brought it to power. RSP is still a relatively young political force, and its transition from an opposition-style political movement to a governing party has brought new responsibilities and internal challenges.
Lamichhane also told ministers and lawmakers to focus on delivering results rather than promoting their activities. “People are looking for results. Focus on results-oriented work rather than publicity,” he said.
His message comes at a time when political communication is increasingly dominated by social media. Government representatives can publicize meetings, visits and announcements almost immediately, but citizens ultimately judge governments by the services and changes they experience in everyday life.
Lamichhane therefore asked lawmakers to study their roles, rights and responsibilities and to understand how they should present themselves in Parliament, question the government and communicate with citizens.
He also instructed ministers and lawmakers to regularly update their work and activities through the party’s ‘RSP Pulse’ application. Details of parliamentary activities, meetings, travel and other engagements are expected to be recorded through the digital platform as part of the party’s effort to improve internal transparency.
However, the emphasis on digital reporting also raises a broader question about the difference between recording activity and producing results. An updated app can show what a minister or lawmaker has done, but citizens will ultimately judge whether those activities have produced meaningful improvements.
Lamichhane also addressed complaints about weak communication within the party and urged ministers and lawmakers to put aside personal ego and work through dialogue and coordination.
“We must abandon arrogance and work through mutual coordination and dialogue. The government can be effective only when lawmakers and ministers cooperate and coordinate. Communicate clearly with one another,” he said.
The issue is particularly important because ministers and lawmakers from RSP represent the same political organization but perform different roles. Ministers are responsible for running government ministries, while lawmakers are expected to scrutinize government performance and represent citizens in Parliament. Differences between the two are therefore natural, but they can become damaging when they turn into personal disputes or public confrontations.
RSP has been attempting to strengthen its internal structure as it adjusts to its role in government. The party has previously discussed regular coordination between ministers and the party organization, including mechanisms for ministers to brief the party on their work.
The relationship between party leadership, parliamentary leadership and the government has also become an important issue within RSP. With Lamichhane leading the party and Shah heading the government and parliamentary side, the party needs clear institutional mechanisms to manage differences and prevent ordinary policy disagreements from becoming organizational conflicts.
The meeting also decided to form a task force to amend the RSP Federal Parliamentary Party statute. The task force will be coordinated by Kabindra Burlakoti, with Prakash Chandra Pariyar, Krantishikha Dhital and Ganesh Karki as members.
The proposed statutory revision is expected to help clarify the functioning of the parliamentary party and strengthen internal procedures as RSP continues to institutionalize itself.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Lamichhane acknowledged that some statements made by party members could become controversial because the RSP now has a large number of lawmakers and leaders.
“We are many. When many people say many things, a statement by one or two colleagues may become controversial. We will manage that,” he said.
The challenge for RSP now is not simply to avoid controversy but to demonstrate that it can handle political disagreement in a mature and institutional manner. The party entered national politics by promising voters a departure from the traditional political culture. That promise is now being tested from within.
For RSP, mistakes by individual lawmakers may be inevitable. What matters politically is how quickly the party recognizes those mistakes, corrects them and builds systems to prevent them from recurring.
Lamichhane’s message on Wednesday was therefore less about one controversial statement or one absent parliamentary session and more about the culture the party wants to establish. He has asked ministers and lawmakers to attend Parliament, respect its rules, communicate with one another, maintain transparency and focus on results.
The real test, however, will begin after the meeting is over. Whether the warnings translate into more disciplined parliamentary behaviour, better coordination between ministers and lawmakers and visible improvements in government performance will determine whether RSP can turn its promise of “new politics” into a durable political culture.
