Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah has stepped into national political discourse with a strong message: leadership should now emerge from outside Kathmandu’s traditional power centres.
Speaking at a major election gathering organised by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in Janakpur, Shah urged voters to support change-driven leadership and emphasised that national transformation requires moving beyond symbolic politics toward performance-based governance.
Addressing the crowd in Maithili, Shah highlighted his connection with Madhesh and framed the region as central to Nepal’s future political leadership. He emphasised that Kathmandu should no longer be viewed as a place to demand rights, but rather as a city dedicated to development and prosperity, with political empowerment extending to all regions equally.
Shah reflected on his nearly four-year tenure as Kathmandu mayor, acknowledging that administrative limitations often prevented local governments from resolving national-level issues. He cited repeated protests by sugarcane farmers and victims of loan sharking in Maitighar, noting that the local authority alone was insufficient to deliver justice.
“If limited resources allowed the city to support emergency services across dozens of municipalities, imagine what could be achieved with national authority,” Shah said, underlining his belief in stronger federal leadership.
RSP Signals Balen Shah as a Central National Figure
RSP leaders used the event to position Shah as a symbol of a new political direction. Party chair Rabi Lamichhane said his first meeting with Shah convinced him that the country was ready for leadership rooted in accountability and action rather than rhetoric.
Lamichhane stated that Shah represents a generation focused on outcomes, even in the face of political risks. He emphasised that personal consequences, including legal pressure, would not deter the party’s push for systemic reform.
Strong Reactions and Political Momentum
The rally also drew attention due to remarks by newly affiliated RSP leader Dr Amresh Kumar Singh, who publicly declared unwavering support for Shah’s leadership vision. His remarks, though controversial in tone, underscored the intensity of political polarisation and the growing momentum around Shah’s national profile.
As Nepal moves closer to a critical election phase, Shah’s emergence in national debates signals a shift in political narrative, one that centres on governance, decentralisation, and performance-based leadership.
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