Four years after helping establish the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), former General Secretary Dr. Mukul Dhakal says he has been left out of the party’s first national convention. Dhakal, who served as the party’s General Secretary during its formative years, says the decision raises questions about how the party remembers its own political journey.
As the RSP marked its fifth foundation day and opened its first general convention in Chitwan, Dhakal used social media to reflect on the party’s beginnings and his absence from the gathering. His remarks came at a moment when the convention is expected to shape the party’s future direction and internal structure.
Dhakal recalled the difficult days of registering the party, saying even collecting the 500 citizenship documents required for registration had been a struggle.
“On this very day four years ago, we formed the Rastriya Swatantra Party,” he wrote, noting that the party had gone from a small political experiment to becoming part of government within a short period.
He said those who lived through the party’s formative years would always remember that experience, whether or not it receives proper recognition in history.
Criticism Over Exclusion
Dhakal described it as ironic that he was not included among those invited to the convention despite being involved in the party’s founding.
In his statement, he contrasted his own exclusion with the rise of individuals who had once publicly written “Fuc*” about the party and later went on to become prime minister.
The comment appeared to reflect deeper frustrations over the direction of the party and the place of its founders within the current leadership structure.
Dhakal said his absence from Chitwan should not be viewed as the central issue.
“My physical presence is not in Chitwan today. Even if I were there, I would simply be one among around 4,000 delegates,” he wrote.
Ideas Matter More Than Presence
Rather than focusing on attendance, Dhakal argued that political organizations should be judged by their ideas, principles and decisions.
He said that if the party could not determine its future course without his vote, he would have reason to be disappointed. But if the convention adopted the right policies and direction, he would consider himself aligned with those decisions regardless of whether he was physically present.
His message repeatedly urged delegates to look beyond personalities and internal camps as they deliberate on the party’s future.
A Warning Against Personality Politics
The founding leader also used the occasion to draw a distinction between politics driven by individuals and politics guided by policy.
He said the convention should not be reduced to a contest over positions or leadership posts.
- Place ideas above individuals.
- Place institutions above factions.
- Place purpose above positions.
According to Dhakal, the bigger question facing the convention is not who wins or loses internal elections, but what political direction the party ultimately chooses.
As delegates gather in Chitwan for the landmark convention, his remarks have added another layer to discussions about the party’s internal culture, leadership evolution and relationship with those who helped build it from the beginning.
