Kathmandu, March 26 -- The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) on Thursday picked senior leader Balendra Shah as its parliamentary party leader.

The decision was taken at the central committee meeting held at the party office in Banasthali, shortly after newly elected lawmakers attended the oath-taking ceremony at Singha Durbar.

Party chair Rabi Lamichhane proposed Shah's name for the post, which was endorsed unanimously.

Following the central committee's decision, the party is set to convene a meeting of its parliamentary party to formalise the leadership arrangement, paving the way for Shah to stake a claim to the prime ministership.

Shah had earlier been declared the party's prime ministerial candidate for the March 21 elections.

The R...