KATHMANDU: Former Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) lawmaker Dhawal Shumsher Rana and businessman-turned-political activist Durga Prasai have formally parted ways, ending a political partnership that had lasted only about two months.
Following the split, Rana visited the Election Commission on Friday with several of his supporters to register a new political party. Having already resigned as RPP general secretary, he submitted an application to register the Jai Nepal Party.
The two leaders had remained publicly aligned until Thursday, but disagreements surfaced shortly before the completion of the party registration process. Rana and Prasai had joined hands with the declared goal of restoring the monarchy and re-establishing Nepal as a Hindu state.
Under their earlier understanding, Rana was to become the party chairperson, while Prasai would hold the position of “supreme leader.” They had also agreed to form a 101-member central committee, with 40 members nominated by each side and 20 considered neutral. A triangle had been proposed as the party’s election symbol.
The alliance eventually broke down over a dispute concerning the order of leadership within the party. Prasai reportedly demanded that his name be placed first in the leadership hierarchy, a proposal Rana refused to accept.
After the split, Prasai publicly criticized Rana, claiming that “the Ranas do not want to restore the monarchy.” Differences over the timing of the party registration process further deepened the rift and ultimately brought their political cooperation to an end.
