Kathmandu, Jan 18: Senior leader of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Balendra (Balen) Shah has formally assumed his responsibilities after visiting the party’s central office.
Shah spent around 10 minutes at the headquarters, where he entered the office space prepared for him and took charge as a senior leader.
The RSP central committee meeting is scheduled to be held later today. Following the meeting, party chair Rabi Lamichhane, along with Shah and other leaders, is set to travel to Janakpur for an election-related program scheduled for 5:00 pm this evening.
Earlier, Shah resigned from his post as Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. He is preparing to contest the upcoming general election from Jhapa-5, where former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli is also expected to contest. However, the RSP has not yet finalized a decision regarding his candidacy.
The RSP has stated that Shah is being positioned as the party’s prime ministerial candidate, while Rabi Lamichhane will continue as party chair.
Amid Shah’s strong social media presence and campaign, reports suggest that the contest in Jhapa-5 could be closely fought if he faces Oli.
According to Nepal’s Constitution, a party or coalition requires at least 138 seats to secure a majority in the 275-member House of Representatives. Given the proportional representation system, it is difficult for a single party to secure a majority on its own. Nevertheless, the RSP has expressed confidence in improving its parliamentary strength in the upcoming election. #nepal #election
