Nepal minister Ghising resigns to fight election, joins newly launched RSP

Kathmandu, Jan 7 (PTI) Kulman Ghising, a senior minister in Nepal's interim government, resigned on Wednesday to join politics and fight the March 5 election.

Ghising, the minister for Energy and Water Resources, Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development, is the former chief of Nepal Electricity Authority credited with ending 16 hour long load-shedding in Nepal.

Appointed as a minister in the caretaker government nearly four months ago, Ghising tendered his resignation on Wednesday evening to Prime Minister Sushila Karki, according to the PMO.

Ghising joined the Rashtriya Swotantra Party (RSP) led by Ravi Lamichhane and now will officially become a member after his resignation.

RSP has offered him the position of party's senior vice president.

Ghising was the patron of the Ujyalo Nepal Party, however, as the two parties merged recently, targeting the upcoming general elections, Ghising's entire team is also joining the RSP.

With the merging of Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah's team and Ghising's team, the RSP has emerged as an alternative political force that would challenge the traditional big parties in the national politics of Nepal.

Kathmandu has 10 seats for the House of Representatives (HoR) election and Ghising and Shah are likely to contest from one each of these. PTI SBP NPK NPK