KATHMANDU: Gyanendra Bahadur Shahi, Chief Whip of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), claims that Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra (Balen) Shah is being targeted for failure because he won the election as an independent candidate.

Speaking at the House of Representatives meeting on Monday, Shahi alleged that political parties are making efforts to hinder Mayor Balen’s work and ensure his failure because he won independently.

“Mayor Balen Shah of Kathmandu Metropolitan City is being targeted and troubled precisely because he won as an independent candidate,” Shahi said, adding, “There is a concerted effort to disrupt his work. Political leaders are sending their party members and ward chairs to create chaos.”

Shahi further commented that top leaders of political parties are instructing ward chairs over the phone to protest during the city council meetings of the metropolitan city.

“A central leader of a party calls a ward chair and orders them to stage protests,” he remarked.

RPP MP Shahi also emphasized the need for non-partisan politics at the local level.

“While party politics is necessary in the parliament, we need non-partisan politics at the local level,” he stated ahead, “In many countries, including our neighboring ones, local governance is non-partisan.”

Shahi stressed that if political parties genuinely want to develop the country, they should allow elected representatives to work independently.

“The budget of Kathmandu Metropolitan City is currently in disarray. Were the ward chairs elected by the local people or appointed by any party?” he questioned, adding, “If all parties truly want to develop the country, if true democracy has come, then let the representatives elected by the people work independently.”