Balen spent the day on Wednesday at his friend Kumar Ben's house in Lalitpur. He met everyone from doctor Dr. Bhagwan Koirala to RPP leader Gyanendra Shahi and Janmat Party's CK Raut.
What you should know
Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah has met with more than 30 leaders, activists, artists, and media personnel to move forward through a new political party.
Balen met his friend Kumar Ben's house in Lalitpur throughout the day on Wednesday. From doctor Dr. Bhagwan Koirala to RPP leader Gyanendra Shahi, Janmat Party's CK Raut.
In the meeting held in the presence of Mahanagar Advisor Sunil Lamsal, he met former secretary Bhim Upadhyay, former president of Bibeksheel Sajha Milan Pandey, activist Sagar Dhakal, Genji activist Raksha Bam, KP Khanal. He also met artist Nischal Basnet, Kantipur Media Group's Managing Director Sambhav Sirohiya, Suraj Singh Thakuri, journalist Rishi Dhamala, among others.
According to Upadhyay, who participated in the meeting, there were separate and one-on-one conversations in the meeting. ‘I met him alone, there were many other friends,’ he told Kantipur, ‘I have seen signs from the meeting place that he will go to the elections, it seemed like he met potential people for that.’
Balen said that he had helped him even when he was running for mayor of Kathmandu, and Upadhyaya said that he had informed him that he would help in bringing alternative forces together. ‘I, on the other hand, said that I will not actively participate in politics, but I will support him from the outside,’ he said, ‘I have said that I am ready to do whatever is needed for change.’
During the meeting, Balen also briefed him about the conversation he had with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) President Ravi Lamichhane in a meeting that lasted from 7 pm to 1 am on Monday. ‘There was some kind of discussion with Raviji, but no concrete proposal came,’ he said, quoting Balen, ‘Now we are talking about moving forward in a different way.’
According to him, Balen’s ally Desh Bikas Party has been registered with the Election Commission, its election symbol is a stick. ‘It was said that it would be used in case we had to go in a different way later,’ he said, ‘That is what we are going to move forward in now.’ Earlier, this party was in the name of Anantaraj Ghimire. However, it was later changed and brought under the name of Balen’s ally.
During the meeting, Balen said that although there may be further discussions with Ravi about electoral cooperation, he has almost reached the conclusion that he will move forward in a new way. ‘His proposal was to go together, but there were no other concrete things,’ he said, quoting Balen, ‘but, looking at some other things, he says that there is no possibility of agreement on that.’
According to another member who attended the meeting, Balen asked most of them, ‘What will happen if I announce a party and go? Will you continue to support me or not?’ A member of Balen’s secretariat said that most of the participants in the meeting responded positively. Balen is in constant dialogue with some new faces from old political parties, according to those who attended the meeting.
The RSVP leaders had also discussed the option of making Balen the prime ministerial candidate. However, the next day after the meeting between the two, Ravi had said in Chitwan that the dialogue had not entered that stage. He said that the issue had been explained according to their respective dialogues and that discussions were also being held with other forces.
