The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is holding its first national convention in Chitwan, aiming to amend the party statute to accommodate senior leaders and more central members.

The ruling party is considering expanding the number of office-bearers and central committee members that can be nominated by the party chair, a move leaders say is aimed at accommodating figures who joined through party unity and political realignments.

The party’s first national convention is scheduled to take place in Chitwan from June 21 to 23. Discussions on revising the party statute dominated a secretariat meeting on Thursday, with leaders arguing that the existing structure does not adequately reflect the spirit of recent mergers and political integration efforts.

An RSP office-bearer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the party had held extensive discussions on how to ensure broader representation in the leadership.

“There are concerns that district and provincial conventions largely brought the same people into leadership positions while those who joined later through unity processes have not been represented,” the leader said. “If this is to be a convention of unity, there must be room for consensus, trust and accommodation.”

According to party leaders, the proposed changes are intended to create space for leaders who joined the RSP from different political backgrounds, including former members of the Bibeksheel Sajha Party, Tharuhat/Tharuwan campaigners and other figures who later aligned with the party.

The statute amendment committee led by Joint General Secretary Bipin Acharya had initially proposed a 16-member office-bearer structure. The proposal included one chair, three vice-chairs, two general secretaries, four joint general secretaries, one spokesperson, three deputy spokespersons, one treasurer and one deputy treasurer.

Under that model, 10 office-bearers would have been elected through the convention, with the chair elected in the first phase and the remaining positions chosen in a second round.

However, Thursday’s Secretariat meeting discussed expanding the structure to 19 members. The revised proposal includes one chair, one senior leader, three vice-chairs including a woman, two general secretaries, five joint general secretaries including a woman, one spokesperson, three deputy spokespersons including a woman, one treasurer and two joint treasurers including a woman.

The charter revision committee is expected to incorporate the discussions into its final report before presenting it to the central committee for endorsement.

The most significant change concerns nominations by the party chair. Under the new proposal, the chair would be able to nominate one vice-chair, one general secretary, two joint general secretaries, one spokesperson, three deputy spokespersons, one treasurer and two deputy treasurers.

If endorsed, 11 of the party’s 19 office-bearers would be appointed by its chair, giving nominated members a majority in the office-bearer structure.

The party is also preparing to establish the post of senior leader through its statute. Although senior leader and Prime Minister Balendra Shah joined the party in that capacity through an agreement with party chair Rabi Lamichhane in December last year, the position has not been recognised in the party’s governing document.

General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti said the Secretariat had also decided to expand the central committee from the previously proposed 136 members to 158. Of them, 151 would be elected or nominated at the convention, while seven provincial chairpersons would serve as ex-officio members.

Another secretariat member said the decision was intended to recognise pre-election agreements, party mergers and the contributions of independents who later joined the RSP.

The party has also decided to use electronic voting to choose office-bearers and central committee members. Delegates who have not paid their levy will not be allowed to participate in the convention.

According to Burlakoti, between 2,500 and 3,000 delegates are expected to attend. More than 170 representatives from over 38 countries are also due to participate. The party estimates the convention cost at around Rs40 million, with expenses to be covered from registration fees and contributions by party members and supporters.

The inauguration ceremony is set to be held inside a ‘German hangar tent’ erected at the Guest House grounds in Bharatpur, Chitwan. Organisers said preparations are over to host a three-day gathering starting Sunday.

While the opening ceremony will take place at the Guest House premises, the convention's closed-door sessions will be held at the Industrial Exhibition Centre of the Chitwan Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

The German hangar, a temporary but robust structure made of aluminium frames and tensile fabric roofing, has been designed to withstand intense heat, rain and strong winds. Organisers say the facility will also provide greater safety and comfort for participants in the monsoon weather.

Preparations were initially made at a hotel complex in Tandi Nipani of Ratnanagar Municipality, where a bamboo pavilion was being constructed. However, the work was halted after about 70 percent completion, and the party later decided to move the convention to Bharatpur.

According to Madan Ghimire, president of the Chitwan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, technical issues that had delayed an agreement between the party and the chamber have now been resolved. The exhibition centre was originally developed on government land allocated for industrial promotion activities.

Ghimire said the Ministry of Industry had requested the chamber to make the hall available for the convention’s closed sessions, citing security considerations as distinguished national figures and foreign guests are expected to attend.

For the inauguration ceremony, three interconnected sections of the German hangar are being constructed. The structure will cover nearly 30,000 square feet with the total capacity of accommodating 10,000 to 12,000 people.

Rajan Gautam, an RSP central committee member coordinating accommodation and catering, said around 1,500 hotel rooms would be booked for the delegates.