Kathmandu, December 25
While Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra (Balen) Shah has increased his political meetings, Gen Z leaders have asked him to take over their guardianship and lead alternative forces.
THT spoke with Gen Z leaders who were present during the meeting with KMC Mayor Shah. They stated that they had requested him to take the guardianship of the Gen Zs and support their demands, including the 10-point agreement with the government.
The meeting took place today at Shah's ally Kumar Ben's house in Jwagal, Lalitpur. Actor Nischal Basnet was also present in the meeting from Shah's side.
Gen Z leaders, including Raskhya Bam, Sudan Gurung, Purushotam Yadav, Arjun Sah, Pradeep Gyawali, among others, were present in the meeting from the Gen Z side.
"At the meeting, Gen Z leaders asked Balen to take the lead. Balen responded, 'I am observing and mulling over the progress,'" Gen Z leader Yadav told THT.
Gyawali, who was also in the meeting, shared that they requested the guardianship of the alternative forces, including Gen Zs. "In response, Shah said he is ready for political obligations," Gyawali said.
According to him, Shah is serious about the need of current circumstances. Shah shared in the meeting that he is affiliated to a political party named 'Desh Vikash Party'. "However, they are ready to unite with alternative forces," he told THT. "That is what we also expect."
The Desh Vikas Party is officially registered with the Election Commission. Sandhya Khanal is the chairperson, and the election symbol is 'Lauro' (stick). Shah was elected mayor of KMC in the 2022 local-level elections under the Lauro symbol.
Another Gen Z leader, Sah, told THT, "We requested the guardianship of Gen Zs. We have also asked him to meet the injured victims during the Gen Z protests." According to Sah, Shah sounded and looked serious about his political course during the meeting.
"He also wants to take the lead. When asked why he did not appear immediately following the protest, Shah responded that he preferred to run for election rather than serving in office for a short period."
Shah met Kulman Ghising early in the morning before meeting the Gen Z leaders, and Baburam Bhattarai met him as well. Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation; Physical Infrastructure and Transport; and Urban Development, Ghising, while inaugurating Ujjayalo Nepal party office today afternoon, said, "The new forces should all move forward together."
Bhattarai, the leader of Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party and former PM, stated that having a new and alternative power source has been his dream for the past decade. While speaking to the mediapersons after meeting Shah today, he stated, "My dream for the past 10 years has been for us to come together and find a new and alternative solution. Balen ji had called me to consult on this matter, so I came here.
Everyone should come together with ideas and agendas and proceed as one." Recently, Shah has accelerated his political activities and has been in discussions with various alternative forces, informing them that he has entered the party politics.
Earlier today, he also met Rastriya Swatantra Party Chair Rabi Lamichhane for possible collaboration. When a reporter later asked Lamichhane, if he was walking with a 'stick' (Mayor Shah's election symbol) or ringing the 'bell' (RSP symbol), he replied, "Time will tell."
In hindsight, Shah has also met several other leaders and former lawmakers, including Amresh Singh, RSP leader Sishir Khanal and Nepali Congress leader Sunil Sharma. However, following his 'one-on-one' meeting with Lamichhane on Monday night, Shah escalated his political meetings.
