and co-chairman of the party. As provided in the party statute Padma Sundar Lawati was nominated as vice-chairman and Rabindra Nath Sharma, Pashupati Shamsher Rana and Prakash Chandra Lohani were nominated as general secretaries. Kamal Thapa became spokesman. In the second general election held in 2051 B.S. united RPP secured eighteen percent of the total votes polled. Thus RPP became the third largest party in the parliament. Since none of the parties got absolute majority it was a hung parliament. The political developments that took place during the tenure of the second parliament gave opportunities for two RPP leaders namely Surya Bahadur Thapa and Lokendra Bahadur Chand to become the prime-minister of the country successively in the coalition governments. However, during this period the party saw serious differences among the top leadership, which eventually led once again for formal split of the party. The second general convention of the party took place in 2054 B.S. in Birgunj. The Birgunj convention elected Surya Bahadur Thapa once again as chairman. Prakash Chandra Lohani, Pashupati Shamsher Rana and Kamal Thapa were nominated as vice-chairman, general secretary and spokesman respectively. Since two RPPs once again fought the general election with separate identity, the performance naturally were not good. However, it succeeded in retaining its third position in the parliament. Following the general election two factions again merged. The third general convention held in Pokhara in 2059 B.S. elected Pashupati Samshere Rana as chairman. According to the party statute Padam Sunder Lawoti, Kamal Thapa and Roshan Karki were nominated as vice-chairman, general secretary and spokesperson. The first-ever special general convention of the party took place in 2062 B.S. in Kathmandu. The special general convention passed a vote of no confidence motion against Pashupati Shamsher Rana and elected Kamal Thapa as chairman of the party. Padma Sunder Lawoti became the vice-chairman of the party. Chairman Kamal Thapa resigned from his post and Rabindra Nath Sharma became the chairman of the party on 10th Karkik, 2063. Rabindra Nath Sharma resigned from the post of chairman because of his poor health by the second week of Falgun, 2064 and the chairmanship of the party was handed over to Kamal Thapa again. References Living people 1955 births People from Makwanpur District Nepalese Hindus Government ministers of Nepal Rastriya Prajatantra Party politicians Foreign Ministers of Nepal Deputy Prime Ministers of Nepal Nepal MPs 1994–1999 Members of the Rastriya Panchayat Members