राजेन्द्र लिङदेन अध्यक्षमा असफल हुनुभयो, अब मार्ग प्रशस्त गर्नुपर्छ: ज्ञानेन्द्र शाही

काठमाडौं । राष्ट्रिय प्रजातन्त्र पार्टी (राप्रपा) विभाजनको डिलमा पुग्दा अध्यक्ष राजेन्द्र लिङदेनमाथि बहिर्गमनको दबाब पर्न थालेको छ । पार्टीको संसदीय दलका नेता तथा एक मात्र प्रत्यक्ष निर्वाचित सांसद ज्ञानेन्द्र शाहीले अध्यक्षबाट लिङदेनले मार्ग प्रशस्त गर्नुपर्ने माग गरेका छन् ।

शाहीले आज फेसबुकमा आक्रामक स्टाटस लेख्दै पार्टीलाई विभाजनतिर धकेलेकोमा दुवै पक्षमाथि दोषारोपण गरेका थिए । यसै सन्दर्भमा नेपाल प्रेससँग थप कुराकानी गर्दै उनले लिङदेनलाई मार्ग प्रशस्त गर्न सुझाव दिएका हुन् । राप्रपाको नेतृत्वमा पनि अब पुस्तान्तरण हुनुपर्ने उनको धारणा छ ।

शाहीसँग गरिएको संक्षिप्त सवालजवाफः

– राप्रपा फुट्ने निश्चित भएको हो त ?

होइन, होइन । राप्रपा फुट्ने होइन । त्यो त्यस्तो केही पनि छैन । राप्रपालाई मिलाएर लाने हो । अब कोही-कोही व्यक्ति कतै केही गर्छन् भने उनीहरूको समस्या हो, तर राप्रपा फुट्दैन ।

– भोलि नै सामूहिक हस्ताक्षर घोषणा गरेर छुट्टै शक्ति निर्माण गर्ने भन्ने आइसक्यो त ?

ती साथीहरूलाई रोक्ने हामीले कोसिस गरिराख्या छौँ । पार्टी फुटेको भनेर मानिँदैन त्यसलाई । अब राप्रपाबाट केही साथीहरू गए भन्न सकियो । यसलाई पार्टी फुटेको भनेर मानिँदैन । ती साथीहरूलाई पनि मेरो अपील के छ भने हामी आऊँ, बसौँ, संघर्ष गरौँ । फुटेर होइन जुटेर समस्याको समाधान निकाल्न सकिन्छ । यसका लागि सबैलाई म अपील गर्न चाहन्छु ।

– तपाईँले फेसबुकमा जुन स्टाटस लेख्नुभयो आज, यसको आशय अध्यक्षले राजीनामा दिनुपर्छ भन्ने हो ?

हो, दिनै पर्छ । त्यो त दिनै पर्छ अध्यक्षले । महाधिवेशन गर्ने हो भने अध्यक्षले राजीनामा दिएर बाटो प्रशस्त गर्नुपर्छ । महाधिवेशन आयोजक समिति बनाउनुपर्छ ।

– महाधिवेशन आयोजक समितिको नेतृत्व त अध्यक्षले गर्नुपर्ने होला नि ?

त्यस्तो हुँदैन । अध्यक्ष आफैँ फेरि अध्यक्षमा लड्नु हुन्न भनेपछि चाहिँ त्यो सम्भावना हुन्छ । तर उहाँ आफैँ चुनावमा सहभागी हुने भएपछि उहाँले महाधिवेशन आयोजक समितिको संयोजक बन्न मिल्दैन । त्यो त बायस भइहाल्छ नि ।

तर, अरू पार्टीमा पनि अभ्यास त, त्यही छ नि । जो बहालवाला अध्यक्ष छ उसकै संयोजकत्वमा महाधिवेशन आयोजक समिति बन्छ होइन र ?

त्यस्तो चलन पनि नभएको होइन । तर, धेरै पटक त्यस्तो नभएको पनि घटना छन् ।

– जे होस् अध्यक्षले राजीनामा दिनु पर्‍यो हैन त ?

उहाँ अध्यक्ष लड्ने हो कि होइन अब आउने महाधिवेशनमा ? आउने महाधिवेशनमा उहाँ अध्यक्षको उम्मेदवार होइन भने उहाँकै नेतृत्वमा महाधिवेशनमा गए भयो, हैन र ? तर आउने महाधिवेशनमा उहाँ आफैँ उम्मेदवार बन्ने हो भने, आफैँ उम्मेदवार आफैँ महाधिवेशनको प्रमुख बन्न चाहिँ नैतिकताले पनि दिँदैन । त्यो प्रजातान्त्रिक पनि हुन सक्दैन । अध्यक्षजीले नै कसैलाई तोकेर अगाडि बढाउनुपर्छ । केन्द्रीय समितिको बैठकले निर्णय गर्छ त्यो ।

– पार्टीमा लामो समयदेखि दुई पक्षीय संघर्ष छ । यो संघर्षमा तपाईँले कुन पक्षको बढी कमीकमजोरी देख्नुभएको छ ?

यसमा दुईटै पक्षका कमीकमजोरी छन् । यिनीहरूको डिएनए नै त्यस्तो रहेछ । यो मिलेर जानै नसक्ने पुरानो रोग हो । अब सायद यो रोगको अब अन्त्य र निको हुन्छ, किनभने पुस्तान्तरण हुन आवश्यक छ पार्टीमा । पुस्तान्तरण नभईकन अब राप्रपा नयाँ बन्न सक्दैन । अहिले यो रोगको अन्तिम पाटो हो कि जस्तो लागिराख्या छ मलाई ।

– पुस्तान्तरणको कुरा गर्नुभयो । अब महाधिवेशन त चाँडै हुँदै छ । तपाईँले राजेन्द्र लिङदेनलाई अध्यक्षमा समर्थन नगर्ने हुनुभएको हो ?

मेरो स्पष्ट कुरा के छ भने, पार्टी कसरी बन्छ त्यही गरौँ हैन । अब राजेन्द्र लिङ्देनको नेतृत्वमा पार्टी त्यसरी बन्छ भन्ने कुरा यदि हो भने पार्टी शून्य भइसक्यो, होइन ? नेतृत्व फेलको अवस्थामा पुगिसक्यो । स्वयं आफैले चुनाव हार्नुपर्ने अवस्था सिर्जना भयो । अब हामीले त अध्यक्ष बनाइदिउँला, त्यो समस्या छैन । तर देशका जनताले चाहिँ स्वीकार गर्छन् कि गर्दैनन् त ?

– यो त जनताको भन्दा पनि राप्रपाको कुरा न भयो ?

भोलि चुनावमा त जनता नै चाहिने हो नि त । यही कुरा फरक छ ममा र अरूहरूमा । अहिले चुनावमा को अध्यक्ष बन्ने, को महामन्त्री बन्ने, कसले नेतृत्व लिने भन्ने कुरा ठुलो होइन । त्यो नेतृत्वलाई भोलि जनताले स्वीकार्छ कि स्वीकार्दैन भन्ने कुरा ठूलो हो । हामीले त्यस्तो नेतृत्व लिएर जानु पर्‍यो जो जनताले स्वीकार्छन् । नत्र अध्यक्ष बन्न के गाह्रो छ र ? एउटा गुट बनाउने, एउटा समूह बनाउने, १० जना मान्छे जम्मा गर्ने एउटा पार्टी प्यालेसभित्र बसे भैगो त ।

– तपाईँको निष्कर्ष चाहिँ अध्यक्षको रूपमा राजेन्द्र लिङ्देन फेल भइसक्नुभो भन्ने नै हो ?

त्यो त शतप्रतिशत संसारले देखिसक्या कुरो हो नि । अध्यक्षज्यूले मार्ग प्रशस्त गर्नुपर्छ ।

– अझ क्लियरली भनिदिनुस् न, महाधिवेशनमा तपाईँ अध्यक्षको आकांक्षी हो कि होइन ?

अहिले म के गर्ने भन्ने विषयवस्तु छैन । त्यो पार्टी अध्यक्षले आफैँ सोचुन् । पार्टी अध्यक्षलाई अहिलेसम्म हामीले असहयोग गरेका छैनौँ । सहयोगै गरेर यहाँसम्म पुर्‍याएको हो । अध्यक्षले गलत गर्दाखेरि पनि हामीले पार्टी बन्छ भनेर हामीले सहयोग गर्दै हिँड्या हौ । हामीले फेरि अध्यक्ष बनाउनु कुनै ठुलो समस्या होइन । राप्रपाले अध्यक्ष बनाउनु ठुलो समस्या होइन । तर त्यो नेतृत्वलाई एउटा चिया पसलमा काम गर्ने मान्छेले, एउटा कपडा पसलमा काम गरेको मान्छेले, एउटा तरकारी बेचिरहेको नेपाली नागरिकले पत्याउँछ कि पत्याउँदैन ? अब पार्टी बनाउने कि नेतृत्व बनाउने भन्ने कुरा हो ।

– चुनाव हारेको कारणले गर्दा उहाँले छोड्नु पर्छ भन्ने तपाईँको आशय हो ?

चुनाव हारेको मात्र होइन, काम गर्ने क्षमता नै देखिएन । पाँच वर्ष त हामीले भोग्यौँ नि । उहाँले कहिल्यै पनि काम गर्नुभएन । उहाँ जे छ त्यस्तोमा रमाएर बसिराख्नु भएको छ ।

– सबैलाई मिलाएर लैजान पनि नसक्नु भएको हो ?

मिलाएर लगेर पनि के हुन्छ र ? राप्रपाभित्र मिलाएर के हुने हो र ? देश पुरै पुस्तान्तरणमा गइसक्यो । नयाँ परिवर्तनमा गइसक्यो । अब हामीले चेन्ज गर्ने महाधिवेशनको नेतृत्व भनेको भोलि पार्टी मात्र बलियो बनाउने होइन, त्यो देशको मुद्दा बोक्ने हुनु पर्‍यो कि परेन ? जनताले पत्याउनु पर्‍यो कि परेन ? जनताले पत्याउनु पर्‍यो नि । सबभन्दा ठुलो कुरा, पार्टीभित्र पत्याउनु र बाहिर पत्याउनुमा फरक छ ।

– फेरि एक चोटि सोध्छु, तपाईँ महाधिवेशनमा अध्यक्षमा गर्नुहुन्छ ?

मैले अहिले त्यो सोचेको छैन । पार्टी अध्यक्षसँग सल्लाह गरेर कुरा गर्छु ।

– अध्यक्षसँगै सल्लाह गर्ने फेरि पनि ?

अध्यक्षसँगै गर्ने हो । उहाँले पार्टी बचाउने र इतिहास बचाउने हो भने युवामा नेतृत्व हस्तान्तरण गर्नुपर्ने हुन्छ । पार्टी पनि बचाउनु छैन, केही पनि बचाउनु छैन कोठे अध्यक्ष बन्नु छ भनेपछि त के समस्या छ ? २० जना मान्छे भेला गरेर अध्यक्ष भए भइहाल्यो त ।

Kathmandu. As the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) nears the brink of division, pressure is mounting on Chairman Rajendra Lingden to step down. The party's parliamentary party leader and the only directly elected MP, Gyanendra Shahi, has demanded that Lingden pave the way for the party's chairmanship.

Shahi had written an aggressive status on Facebook today, blaming both sides for pushing the party towards division. In this context, while talking further to Nepal Press, he suggested that Lingden pave the way. He is of the opinion that there should now be a generational transition in the leadership of the RPP as well.

Brief Q&A with Shahi:

- Is it certain that the RPP will split?

No, no. The RPP is not going to split. There is nothing like that. The RPP is going to be brought together. Now if some people do something somewhere, that is their problem, but the RPP will not split.

- Is it already time to announce a collective signature and form a separate force tomorrow?

We have been trying to stop those friends. It is not considered that the party has split. Now it can be said that some friends have left the RPP. It is not considered that the party has split. My appeal to those friends is that we should come, sit, and struggle. We can solve the problem by coming together, not by splitting. For this, I would like to appeal to everyone.

- Does the status you wrote on Facebook today mean that the president should resign?

Yes, it must be given. That must be given by the chairman. If a general convention is to be held, the chairman must resign and pave the way. A general convention organizing committee must be formed.

- Shouldn't the chairman lead the general convention organizing committee?

That is not the case. Since the chairman himself has said that he will not run for the chairmanship again, that is a possibility. But since he himself will be participating in the election, he cannot become the coordinator of the general convention organizing committee. That would be biased.

But, the practice is the same in other parties as well. Isn't the general convention organizing committee formed under the coordination of the incumbent president?

It's not that such a practice doesn't exist. However, there are many instances where it doesn't.

- Anyway, the president had to resign, didn't he?

Will he run for president or not in the upcoming general convention? If he is not a candidate for president in the upcoming general convention, then he went to the general convention under his leadership, right? But if he is going to be a candidate himself in the upcoming general convention, then morality does not allow a candidate to become the head of the general convention himself. That cannot be democratic either. The president himself should appoint someone and take it forward. The Central Committee meeting will decide that.

- There has been a two-sided struggle in the party for a long time. In this struggle, which side have you seen the most shortcomings?

There are shortcomings on both sides. That's their DNA. This is an old disease that cannot be cured. Now perhaps this disease will end and be cured, because there needs to be a generational transition in the party. Without a generational transition, the RPP cannot become new. I feel like this is the last stage of this disease.

- You talked about generational change. Now the general convention is happening soon. Are you saying you will not support Rajendra Lingden for the presidency?

My clear point is that we should do as the party is formed. Now, if it is true that the party will be formed like that under the leadership of Rajendra Lingden, then the party has become null, hasn't it? The leadership has reached a state of failure. A situation has arisen where we have to lose the election ourselves. Now we can make him the president, that is not a problem. But will the people of the country accept it or not?

- Isn't this more about the RPP than the people?

Tomorrow, the people are what is needed in the elections. This is the difference between me and others. Now, in the elections, who will become the president, who will become the general secretary, who will take the leadership is not a big deal. The big deal is whether the people will accept that leadership tomorrow or not. We have to go with a leadership that the people will accept. Otherwise, what is difficult about becoming the president? If we form a faction, a group, gather 10 people, we will be sitting inside a party palace.

- Is your conclusion that Rajendra Lingden has failed as president?

That is something that the world can see 100 percent of the time. The Chairman must pave the way.

- Tell me more clearly, are you an aspirant for the presidency at the general convention or not?

There is no issue of what I should do now. Let the party chairman think for himself. We have not dissupported the party chairman so far. We have helped him to get here. Even when the chairman did wrong, we have been supporting him so that the party can be formed. It is not a big problem for us to make him the chairman again. It is not a big problem for the RPP to make him the chairman. But will a person working in a tea shop, a person working in a clothing shop, or a Nepali citizen selling vegetables believe in that leadership or not? Now the question is whether to form a party or to form a leadership.

- Do you mean he should leave because he lost the election?

Not only did he lose the election, he also showed no ability to work. We suffered for five years. He never worked. He is just sitting there enjoying whatever he has.

- You couldn't even get everyone together?

What will happen even if we reconcile? What will happen if we reconcile within the RPP? The entire country has gone through a generational transition. It has gone through a new change. Now, the leadership of the general convention that we are changing is not only about strengthening the party tomorrow, but also about carrying the country's issues. Shouldn't it be? Should the people believe it or not? The people should believe it. The biggest thing is, there is a difference between believing within the party and believing outside.

- Let me ask you again, will you chair the general convention?

I haven't thought about that right now. I will talk to the party chairman after consulting him.

- Will you consult with the chairman again?

It should be done together with the chairman. If he wants to save the party and save history, he has to hand over the leadership to the youth. The party is not going to be saved, nothing is going to be saved, so what is the problem with saying that he will become the chairman? If he gathers 20 people and becomes the chairman, then that is it.