Kathmandu, October 28
Prime Minister Balen Shah met Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane at the latter’s residence in Budhanilkantha on Wednesday, holding talks for around four hours on a range of sensitive political and government issues, according to a senior security source.
Shah, accompanied by his chief adviser Kumar Ben, visited Lamichhane after the RSP chair returned to Kathmandu on an Air India flight late Sunday night.
The senior security source told Onlinekhabar that the meeting began at around 10:15 am and continued until 2:15 pm.
Government sources and RSP insiders informally confirmed the meeting, although people close to both leaders declined to provide an official account of the discussions.
The Cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday was also postponed until Thursday. Sources suggested the prolonged meeting between the two leaders and the need to reach agreement on important issues may have contributed to the delay, although no official explanation linking the two developments was provided.
“Some highly sensitive issues require a common position before decisions can be made, which is why the meeting lasted so long,” the senior source told Onlinekhabar. “Urgent decisions and ordinances may also have been discussed, along with some important political appointments.”
Sources indicated that the two leaders had yet to reach agreement on several appointments. Issues concerning Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki may also have featured in the discussions, although the details remain unclear.
A senior source close to the prime minister, however, suggested that there was no need for extensive intervention in the police chief’s work.
“The IGP only needs to carry out the responsibilities he has been assigned. There should not be much of a problem,” the source told Onlinekhabar, adding that the government did not need to provide detailed instructions on every matter.
A parliamentary subcommittee meeting has been scheduled for Thursday at Singha Durbar to discuss issues related to Karki, including matters concerning police uniforms.
Sources suggested that the RSP could use an issue involving the police chief to press for his removal. However, if Karki were to be replaced, Lamichhane and Shah reportedly had yet to agree on who might succeed him. These claims have not been officially confirmed.
Lamichhane’s India visit also discussed
The meeting also reportedly covered Lamichhane’s recent visit to India. According to sources, the RSP chair shared details of matters related to his personal trip with the prime minister.
Shah is stepping up preparations for a visit to New Delhi in the first week of Mangsir, according to the report. Several government ministers and RSP leaders have also travelled to India in recent days.
Neither the prime minister’s office nor the RSP has publicly disclosed details of Wednesday’s meeting. Onlinekhabar said it had independently confirmed that the meeting took place through security and political sources.
