Kathmandu, June 4 -- The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) formally split on Thursday after senior leaders led by General Secretary Dhawal Shumsher Rana announced to quit the party and unveiled plans to establish a new political party.

The latest schism marks the seventh split in 35 years and comes after years of internal conflict between Rana and party chair Rajendra Lingden. The break-up is expected to reshape the monarchist camp at a time when royalist forces are attempting to regroup amid public dissatisfaction with mainstream political parties.

Addressing a press conference in Kathmandu, Rana said he and his supporters had decided to quit the party after concluding that their political ideals could no longer be realised within the R...