Balen Shah, the Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, has resigned from his position ahead of the end of his term to participate in Nepal’s House of Representatives elections set for March 5. Shah, who has led the city for over three years, submitted his resignation to Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol. He cited compliance with Nepal’s Constitution of 2015 and other laws for his voluntary resignation effective immediately.
Speculation surrounds Shah’s election constituency as his party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has not officially disclosed it. There are suggestions that he might contest from the Jhapa–5 constituency, the same as former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Shah, an architect and rapper, played a key role in forming the current government after Gen Z protests last year.
Shah recently merged his team with the RSP, where he is expected to lead the Parliamentary Party and become the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate post the upcoming election. A potential head-to-head contest between Shah and Oli in the same constituency could determine the next Prime Minister. Known for his efforts to enhance public infrastructure and criticism of established political leadership, Shah’s popularity, especially among youth, has grown since his independent mayoral win in May 2022.
