KATHMANDU, JANUARY 19 Former Mayor Balen Shah (left) and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chairman Rabi Lamichhane (right) ring the party bell following Balen's resignation as mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City at the Rastriya Swatantra Party central office in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Sunday, January 18, 2026. Balen Shah stepped down from his post to contest the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5 and has been appointed a senior leader of the RSP, which has officially projected him as its prime ministerial candidate. Photos: Skanda Gautam for The Himalayan Times