Rabi–Balen Pact Sets Shah as RSP’s Prime Ministerial Candidate

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane have agreed to join forces for the upcoming House of Representatives elections.

After days of talks, the two leaders reached a seven-point agreement early Sunday morning, December 28.

Under the agreement, Shah will be appointed the RSP’s parliamentary party leader after the March 5 polls. The parliamentary party leader is the party’s prime ministerial candidate. Lamichhane will continue as RSP chair.

Both leaders command strong support on social media, particularly among young voters. 

Though the constituency from which Balen will contest a Lower House seat has yet to be decided, speculation is rife that he may challenge CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli in Jhapa. Oli secured a landslide victory in the 2022 general elections, getting over 50,000 votes in the Jhapa-5 constituency.

The two shared photograph of themselves signing the agreement on their social media accounts. Shah posted with the caption “शुभप्रभात । 🔔🔔” (Good morning), while Lamichhane wrote, “Agreement should not be what the politician wants, but what the country needs.” Both posts quickly went viral.

The duo has agreed to call on alternative and new political forces to unite against established parties.

Their alliance is expected to encourage various Gen Z groups that emerged after the September protests to find common ground. It is also seen as a step towards creating a more conducive environment for the elections.

The alliance was widely expected to include former Nepal Electricity Authority Managing Director Kulman Ghising, who had also been part of the discussions. Ghising, widely credited with ending load-shedding, currently oversees three ministries in the Sushila Karki-led interim cabinet. He has also registered the Ujyaalo Nepal Party with the Election Commission.