KATHMANDU: The third round of talks between Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane and Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah concluded on Thursday.
After holding two rounds of discussions on Sunday and Monday, the two leaders met again on Thursday at the Jawalakhel residence of Kumar Ben for further dialogue on possible political cooperation.
Speaking briefly to journalists after the meeting, Lamicchane refrained from giving a direct response on the outcome of the talks. Smiling as he exited the venue, he urged reporters to be patient.
“Look at my face, what does it tell you? Please wait for some time for the results,” he said before leaving in his vehicle.
As journalists and YouTubers crowded around him while he was exiting the house, Lamicchane also called for more discipline from the media.
Meanwhile, Gen-Z activist Sudan Gurung drew attention outside the meeting venue by claiming he had locked the rooms of Kumar Ben’s house while the talks were underway. Gurung said he and his associates, including Arjun Ghimire Pandey, were “standing guard” outside, insisting that Lamicchane, Shah and Energy Minister Kulman Ghising must come together politically.
“Our two leaders are inside. Until they reach an agreement, we will not let them come out,” Gurung said earlier. “We have locked the rooms and the key is with us. I am guarding the place.”
On Wednesday night as well, Mayor Shah had held extended discussions with more than half a dozen political figures as part of ongoing efforts to build a broader alternative political force.
However, despite continuous dialogue among emerging and established political actors, sources say consensus on leadership — including the question of the prime ministerial face — has yet to be reached.
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