RSP MP suspended after audio leak

Kathmandu, Apr 9: Rashtriya Swatantra Party’s discipline and conduct committee will investigate the allegation of its parliamentarian Dhaka Kumar Shrestha asking for Rs 20 million from medical entrepreneur Durga Prasai to buy a ministerial berth in the government.

Party General secretary Mukul Dhakal said the committee will complete its probe in three days and Shrestha remains suspended both as a member of parliament as well as the active member of the party.

An audio that has Prasai and Dr Shrestha in conversation reveals Dr Shrestha asking for Rs twenty million urgently as he will be made the health minister once the amount is paid to the party’s core leaders.

Durga Prasai told Deshsanchar that the conversation took place sometimes around Maghe Sankranti (Jan 13) when Prachanda was planning to expand his cabinet after he won the vote of confidence for the first time in parliament. The RSP was one of the constituents as Rabi Lamichhane, its chief, had joined as Dy PM on December 26 itself.

The episode that could prove damaging for the RSP has come less than a week after Swarnim Wagle quitted congress party accusing influential leaders in the party as being corrupt and joined the RSP to contest parliamentary by-election from Tanahu-1.

Prasai said, ‘this is just one episode, wait for more revelations’.