The dismissal of Dr. Mukul Dhakal, former General Secretary and spokesperson of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has created a political storm in Nepal. In Asar 2081, the RSP's central committee removed Dr. Dhakal from all positions—General Secretary, spokesperson, and central member—citing “incompetence, indiscipline, and anarchic behavior.” However, his name is still officially listed as the General Secretary of RSP in the Election Commission's records. The party's failure to update this record in time has raised serious questions about the transparency and legality of the party leadership.

A letter released by the Election Commission in Jestha 2082 confirms that Mukul Dhakal remains the legally recognized General Secretary of the party. This supports the accusation that the party leadership acted in secrecy. Many argue, “If Dr. Mukul’s case was baseless, it wouldn’t have reached this far; it would have been dismissed at the outset.”

In recent developments, Dr. Dhakal has taken the legal route. On Asar 4, 2082, he publicized the EC’s letter and announced his legal fight. On Asar 11, 2082, he filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court, naming party chair Rabi Lamichhane, acting General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti, spokesperson Manish Jha, and the Election Commission as respondents. A single bench under Justice Kumar Regmi issued a show-cause order asking the respondents to justify the legal basis of Dhakal’s dismissal, with a hearing scheduled for Asar 17. 

Efforts are underway to expel Mukul Dhakal's supporters from the party. Most recently, Koshi Province founding president Rajesh Timilsina and founding spokesperson Kamal Babu Mainali became targets.

But history shows that acknowledging mistakes sometimes takes centuries. In 1633, the Catholic Church found Galileo guilty for defending scientific truth and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Yet it took 400 years—until 1992—for the Pope to admit the Church’s error. The question now looms: Will Rabi Lamichhane and his leadership also need centuries to accept their mistake?

Meanwhile, although Rabi Lamichhane faces potential imprisonment in a cooperative fraud case, he remains active as party president. Allegations persist that he continues to run the party from jail. D.P. Aryal remarked, “As long as Rabi Lamichhane is alive, the party will be in his hands. There are many instances globally of leaders running parties from prison.” Many now compare this situation to India’s infamous “WhatsApp University,” known for spreading rumors and unverified claims. The question is: Has RSP’s leadership also fallen into the trap of WhatsApp-led decision-making?

Serious accusations now surround the current party leadership. Rabi Lamichhane’s inner circle allegedly includes manpower brokers, blackmailing journalists, corrupt officials, foreign agents, smugglers, fraudsters, and cooperative scammers. On the other hand, authoritarian tendencies have been emerging within Balen Shah’s leadership too, with close associates reportedly scrambling to evade anti-corruption investigations. Some of Rabi’s supporters are even said to be seeking help from foreign powers to secure his release from jail.

Ultimately, this incident highlights the urgent need for serious debate about the internal democratic practices within the RSP and the leadership of Rabi Lamichhane. Concerns over the long-term impact of Mukul Dhakal’s dismissal are growing. If Rabi Lamichhane continues to run the party via WhatsApp instructions from jail, how will it affect the party’s public image and its future?

As Dr. Mukul Dhakal increasingly emerges as a potential alternative political force, the leadership of politically immature figures like Rabi Lamichhane and Balen Shah is facing serious scrutiny.