Former Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Dhaka Kumar Shrestha has joined Shram Sanskriti Party led by Harka Sampang.
Shrestha, who was expelled from RSP in 2023, was welcomed by Chairman Sampang on Tuesday. "Welcome to Shram Sanskriti, Dhaka Kumar Shrestha ji. Now, let’s get to work," Sampang wrote on Facebook.
RSP had removed Dhaka Kumar Shrestha from lawmaker and party member on April 12, 2023 after the audio recording of a phone conversation alleged to be between him and businessman Durga Prasai where he could be heard demanding Rs 20 million.
Shrestha, who was elected to the House of Representatives (HoR) through the Proportional Representation electoral system, could be heard telling Prasai that a huge sum of money was needed to give to RSP President Rabi Lamichhane’s men for Shrestha to become health minister.
The conversation took place at the start of January, as Prasai informed in the audio, when RSP was negotiating in the then ruling coalition also including CPN-UML to get the Health Ministry. Shrestha could be heard telling Prasai that Lamichhane would make him heath minister only if he handed over Rs 20-25 million to Lamichhane's men.
Shrestha was also arrested on drug trafficking charge in 2024 after his pharmacy was found to be selling restricted drug Tramadol. He was later released after posting a bail of Rs 75,000.
