Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah have formally agreed to move forward together in the upcoming House of Representatives election, sealing a political unity that could significantly reshape Nepal’s electoral landscape.
RSP Chairperson Rabi Lamichhane and Mayor Shah signed a formal agreement on Friday morning, confirming their decision to contest the forthcoming parliamentary polls jointly. According to party sources, the understanding was reached after renewed negotiations, following earlier discussions that had stalled and required intervention by senior leaders and close aides from both sides.
As per the agreement, Mayor Shah and the political force backing him, including the pro-development group known as the Desh Bikash Party, will merge into a unified political structure with the Rastriya Swatantra Party. Despite the broader unification, the political party will continue to operate under the existing name, Rastriya Swatantra Party.
The agreement also confirms that the party’s election symbol will remain the ‘Bell’, and the party flag will retain its current design—a blue background featuring a white circle at the center with a blue bell symbol inside it. Both leaders have further agreed that the party’s central office will be located within the Kathmandu Valley.
On leadership arrangements, the deal stipulates that Rabi Lamichhane will continue as the central chairperson of the RSP. However, following the House of Representatives election, Balendra Shah will assume the role of parliamentary party leader and will be projected as the party’s candidate for prime minister, should the electoral arithmetic allow.
The agreement outlines plans to strengthen and expand the party’s organizational structure after unification. Youth activists, technocrats, and experienced professionals are to be integrated into the party hierarchy, with appointments based on merit, inclusivity, and public credibility, according to the understanding reached between the two leaders.
It has also been agreed that immediately after the general election, all party-related documents reflecting the unification and structural changes will be formally updated and submitted to the Election Commission in line with prevailing laws and regulations.
The RSP–Balen unity is being viewed as a significant political development ahead of the parliamentary election, particularly among urban voters and reform-oriented constituencies, as both leaders command substantial public attention and independent political capital.
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