Balen missing from RSP training schedule despite future PM projection

KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which emerged as the largest party in the House of Representatives following the March 5 elections, has launched a two-day special training program for its newly elected lawmakers.

However, the absence of senior leader Balen Shah, widely projected by the party as a potential future prime minister, from the training schedule has drawn significant attention.

The first day of the program began at 10:00 am on Tuesday, featuring a 12-hour session that outlined roles and responsibilities among top party leaders. While key figures were assigned major training and leadership roles, Balen’s name was notably missing from the entire schedule.

Balen is set to enter Parliament after securing a landmark victory in Jhapa-5, where he defeated KP Sharma Oli, chairperson of the CPN-UML. His anticipated parliamentary role had generated widespread public interest, particularly after the party signaled plans to position him as parliamentary party leader and a future prime ministerial candidate.

According to the published program, RSP vice-chairs Dr Swarnim Wagle and Dol Prasad Aryal, along with other leaders, have been assigned key sessions and leadership responsibilities during the orientation.

The training spans a total of 19 hours, 12 hours on the first day and seven hours on the second. Despite this extensive schedule, no presentation or address by Balen has been included.

Party chair Rabi Lamichhane is scheduled to deliver remarks on the party’s strategic vision and policy priorities during the closing session on the second day.

The exclusion of one of the party’s most high-profile figures from such a significant pre-parliamentary program has sparked debate on social media, with questions being raised about internal power balance and role distribution within the party.

Observers say the absence of a leader projected as a future head of government from a key training initiative could raise concerns about the party’s parliamentary strategy and leadership planning in the days ahead.