Senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Balen Shah, has returned to Kathmandu after an election campaign and religious tour. Shah had arrived in Damak, Jhapa, on Tuesday to file his candidacy for the House of Representatives after resigning from his post as Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City.
He travelled from Janakpur to Damak in a black Land Rover Defender, continuing in the same vehicle to Phungling, the district headquarters of Taplejung. On Saturday evening, as he made his way back to Kathmandu, the same vehicle carried him as far as Biratnagar Airport. The journey, however, drew criticism; the vehicle was widely described as an expensive car belonging to a businessman.
After arriving in Damak on Tuesday, Shah stayed in Birtamod following his nomination registration. On Wednesday, he returned to Damak and met party cadres. He held discussions with candidates from Morang, Sunsari, and Jhapa. On Thursday morning, he reached Ilam Bazaar and went door-to-door with candidates.
He campaigned in Panchthar, asking for votes and meeting supporters along the way. En route to Taplejung, he stopped at various junctions where cadres and well-wishers had gathered, acknowledging some with folded hands, others with handshakes, before arriving in Phungling. From there, he travelled via Sano Phedi and, on Friday morning, visited the Pathibhara Temple. Afterwards, he returned to Taplejung, where he continued meeting supporters.
From Taplejung, Shah travelled to Panchthar and reached Myanglung Bazaar in Terhathum on Friday evening via the Mid-Hill Highway. He stayed overnight in Myanglung and on Saturday morning visited a temple.
In the Devithan area of Myanglung, he interacted with local voters and sought votes for RSP’s Terhathum candidate, Surendra Karki. He said that real problems can only be understood after directly experiencing the geography, climate, and daily life of voters in Terhathum.
“You can read about Terhathum on paper, you can find it on Wikipedia,” Shah says, “but only by coming here, sitting on this soil, and talking to the people can you understand the reality of this place. When raising issues in Parliament tomorrow, it should not be based on assumptions, but on lived experience.”
He also visited Cho Lung Park in Basantapur, Terhathum, and reached Mudhe Bazaar in Sankhuwasabha, which shares a border with Terhathum. At Mudhe Bazaar of Dharmadevi Municipality–3, in the presence of RSP candidate Mingma Sherpa, he spoke about the beauty of eastern Nepal and mentioned Rudraksha.
“To be honest, this is my first time in Sankhuwasabha,” he says while addressing voters briefly. “Sankhuwasabha is known inside and outside for Rudraksha. Just as this is my first visit here, I urge the candidate to create an environment that brings three crore Nepalis to this place.”
He also stressed the need to develop tourism and agriculture. “Not everyone knows how beautiful this eastern region is. You only realise it after coming here,” he says.
After meeting voters in Mudhe Bazaar near Myanglung, supporters welcomed him in Hile of Dhankuta. He was also welcomed in Dhankuta Bazaar. RSP supporters welcomed him in Dharan, Tarahara, and Itahari. Supporters gathered in front of Biratnagar Airport chanted slogans in his favour.
At some places, he shook hands with supporters and accepted khada, garlands, and bouquets; at others, he greeted people while seated in his vehicle, and at times waved to voters from the rooftop of the vehicle. However, he did not speak to journalists anywhere.
RSP leaders say Shah returned after creating a strong campaign atmosphere for the party’s election symbol, the bell, across the districts of Koshi Province.
“He has returned after touring eastern districts in one phase, and the atmosphere has been positive,” says Kedar Chapagain, chair of RSP Kamal Rural Municipality. “He will return, after which preparations are underway for him to focus on Jhapa Constituency No. 5 and also participate in campaigns in other areas.”
During his six-day stay, Shah visited Morang, Sunsari, Jhapa, Ilam, Panchthar, Taplejung, Terhathum, Sankhuwasabha, and Dhankuta.
After resigning as Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City and joining RSP, Shah has arrived in Jhapa Constituency No. 5 to contest against CPN-UML Chair and four-time Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Shah is RSP’s prime ministerial candidate, while UML has also fielded Oli as its prime ministerial candidate. As both parties have put forward candidates aspiring to become the next prime minister, the electoral contest in Jhapa has intensified. Its impact is being felt across Koshi Province and nationwide.
UML Chair Oli had also met voters and party cadres before returning to Kathmandu via Biratnagar Airport on Friday afternoon. Shah returned to Kathmandu via Biratnagar Airport on Saturday evening.
Before returning to Kathmandu, Shah held discussions with RSP candidates and leading party workers at Purple Haze Café near Biratnagar Airport. As a large crowd of supporters gathered to see Shah after he arrived quietly in Biratnagar, police had a difficult time managing the situation.
