KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) is set to resign from his post today, nearly four years after assuming office. With this move, he formally enters national politics.
After submitting his resignation, he is scheduled to attend a central committee meeting of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) at 2:00 pm today.
According to sources, he has booked a ticket to Janakpur along with RSP Chair Rabi Lamichhane for a flight departing at 4:15 pm.
RSP central committee member Pradeep Gyawali said preparations are underway to welcome Balen as a “senior leader” at today’s meeting. Shah, who secured a historic victory as an independent candidate in the 2079 local elections, has now chosen to contest parliamentary elections.
He is set to run in the by-election for the House of Representatives from Jhapa Constituency No. 5, scheduled for March 5.
With this highly anticipated political move, Balen is expected to begin a nationwide campaign starting today. RSP President Lamichhane and Balen Shah are scheduled to depart for Janakpur immediately after the meeting. Party sources said preparations are underway to leave around 4:00 pm.
The two leaders are expected to jointly address a political program in Janakpur. The impact of Balen’s tenure as mayor of Kathmandu and his resignation on the upcoming elections has become a major topic of interest across political circles.
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