Kathmandu, July 7 -- Nepal's ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has introduced a provision in its party statute under which the parliamentary party leader's position will automatically become vacant if s/he fails to follow the party chair's policy directives.

The provision was included in the statute approved by the party's first national convention, held in Chitwan from June 21 to June 27. The statute states that the parliamentary party leader can lose the position for failing to comply with the chair's policy guidance.

RSP is led by chair Rabi Lamichhane, who was elected unopposed at the convention. Balendra Shah is the parliamentary party leader. Under a seven-point agreement reached between Lamichhane and Shah on December 28 last...