In a stunning political move, Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah has stepped down from his position to contest Nepal’s upcoming House of Representatives elections on March 5. The resignation, tendered on Sunday well before his term’s end, was formally handed over to Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol by his office.
Shah, who has led the nation’s largest metro city for the past three-and-a-half years, invoked Nepal’s 2015 Constitution, the 2017 Local Government Operation Act, and related laws in his voluntary resignation letter, effective immediately. His Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has yet to officially announce his constituency, but speculation is rife that he may run from Jhapa-5, the same seat held by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
The potential showdown carries massive implications, especially given past clashes between Shah and Oli during the latter’s premiership. Shah, a professional architect and rapper turned politician, gained kingmaker status after leading anti-Gen Z protests last September, influencing the formation of Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s current government. In late December, his team joined RSP under a seven-point agreement positioning him as the party’s parliamentary leader and prime ministerial candidate post-elections.
A reclusive figure who rarely grants media interviews, Shah’s popularity among Nepal’s youth stems from his relentless push for public infrastructure upgrades in Kathmandu and unfiltered critiques of ‘corrupt’ traditional party leaders. Elected as an independent in May 2022, his victory signaled a youth-driven shift in Nepali politics. As Nepal gears up for this high-stakes electoral battle, all eyes are on whether Shah can translate municipal success into national power.