Kathmandu Mayor, Balen Shah, to be Nepal PM’s candidate

Kathmandu –  Mayor of Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu, will be the Prime Minister’s candidate in the forthcoming elections taking place on 5^th March, 2025, reports said.

A seven-point agreement between  Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President, Rabi Lamichhane, and  Mayor Balendra Shah (popularly known as Balen), has mentioned that Mr Shah will be the party’s Prime Minister’s candidate while Lamichhane will continue to lead the party.

The agreement further reiterates that the Rastriya Swatantra Party’s core principles, leadership structure, the party flag, and election symbol (the bell), will remain unchanged. It also invites other reform-oriented and responsible political forces, groups and individuals to rally around the party under this framework.

The two sides had been in talks on cooperation and unity for weeks. Discussions intensified from last Monday, with Lamichhane and Shah holding a series of formal and informal meetings. The agreement followed detailed deliberations on a shared political vision, leadership arrangement and future course of action of the unified party.

According to the agreement document, both sides have committed to addressing public aspirations by strengthening good governance within a pluralistic democratic system, guided by an open and socially just economic framework. It also underscores a shared resolve to institutionalise voices raised through various public movements against corruption and misgovernance.

The document makes specific reference to youth-led movements, including the Gen Z protests held on September 8 and 9, which it says reflected wider public frustration with prevailing political practices. The parties have pledged to translate such demands into concrete political action.

Following the agreement, the party’s organisational structure will be expanded and strengthened. The document states that capable, inclusive and publicly credible youth activists, along with experienced professionals and experts, will be entrusted with responsibilities within the party.

The agreement, however, doesn’t mention anything regarding proposed unity or collaboration with the Ujyalo Nepal Party (UNP) led by Energy Minister Kulman Ghising.