Balen is preparing to participate in the elections through the Desh Bikas Party. The election symbol of this party, which has been registered with the Election Commission, is a stick. Earlier, this party was in the name of Anantraj Ghimire. But recently, Sandhya Khanal has been brought in to lead the party.
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Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) is set to become active in party politics through the upcoming House of Representatives elections. To build an alternative force, he has intensified his meetings with politically active leaders, activists, entrepreneurs, media persons and Gen-G leaders. He has given a clear message to all those present at the meetings that he is committed to parliamentary politics.
Balen is preparing to participate in the elections through the Desh Bikas Party. The election symbol of this party, which has been registered with the Election Commission, is a stick. Earlier, this party was in the name of Ananta Raj Ghimire. But recently, Sandhya Khanal has been brought in to lead the party.
‘Various parties were registered as alternatives, among them, the stick is also the election symbol, so it has been given priority,’ said a member of Balen’s secretariat, ‘Accordingly, homework is being done now.’ According to experts, Balen is doing homework to prepare a list of proportional candidates from the Desh Bikas Party.
Balen met his friend Kumar Ben, who has been supporting him since before he ran for mayor, at his house in Jwagal, Lalitpur, from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday evening. Balen met doctor Bhagwan Koirala, Congress leader Chandra Bhandari, Janmat Party chairman CK Raut, and Nagarik Unmukti Party patron Resham Chaudhary to RPP leader Gyanendra Shahi on Wednesday.
Balen had met separately with former secretary Bhim Upadhyay, former president of Bibeksheel Sajha Party Milan Pandey, former MP Ramesh Paudyal elected to the Bagmati Provincial Assembly from Bibeksheel, former president of Bibeksheel's youth organization Saroj Gautam, who did not join the merger with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, activist Sagar Dhakal, media entrepreneur Sambhav Sirohiya, businessman Sachin Dhakal, Gen-G activist duo Raksha Bam and KP Khanal, artist Nischal Basnet, media persons Suraj Singh Thakuri and Rishi Dhamala, among others.
Janmat chairman Raut said that Balen's proposal to move forward by forming a single party came from Balen. 'We are considering Balenji's proposal,' Raut told Kantipur, 'Madhesh politics is a bit different from other regions. It is not just a matter of who will be the prime minister, there are many other issues.'
Former Secretary Upadhyay said that he had received indications that Balen would contest the parliamentary elections. ‘I met him alone,’ he said, ‘I have seen indications from the meeting place that he will contest the elections, and I understand that he has met potential people for that.’ Upadhyay said that he had supported Balen even when he was running for mayor of Kathmandu and informed him that he would also help bring alternative forces together. ‘I will not engage in active politics, I said that I will stay outside and help,’ he said, ‘I am ready to do whatever is needed for change.’
Resham Chaudhary, patron of the Civil Liberation Party, said that he had a positive discussion with Balen. ‘Our discussion focused on the fact that all alternative, transformative forces should unite to move forward in a progressive direction. The initial discussion was very good,’ he said, ‘There has been no concrete discussion yet about unity or alliance.’
According to Pandey, former president of the Bibeksheel Sajha Party, Balen had clearly indicated that he would move forward in the elections by forming a separate party and gaining a majority. "I have already said that I am ready to support Balen in forming a big alternative force together with my Gen-G friends," he said.
After Balen intensified the meeting, RSP President Ravi Lamichhane also reached Jwagal to meet him at around 12 noon. Lamichhane and Balen talked until 3:10 pm. They had earlier discussed the matter at the Kamalpokhari office of former RSP MP Asim Shah last Monday. However, Balen had intensified the discussion on institutionalizing the party, saying that there was no clear proposal from Lamichhane in that meeting. Lamichhane, who reached Jwagal to meet him during this period, did not give any concrete response. Those close to him said that they had agreed to hold further discussions.
According to the aide, Balen is also supported by Kulman Ghising of the Ujjaj Nepal Party. Balen met Ghising at 11 am on Thursday. Ujjaya Nepal central member Abhishek Raj Singh said that the discussions between Ghising and Balen were positive. ‘All three of them, Ravi, Balen and Kulman, are positive. Discussions are underway about the modalities of standing together along with the proportional list,’ Singh said.
During the day-long meeting on Wednesday, Balen also ‘briefed’ Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) President Lamichhane about the talks held at the meeting held from 7 pm to 1 am on Monday. ‘There was a kind of discussion with Raviji, but no concrete proposal came out,’ another leader who attended the meeting said, quoting Balen, ‘Now, talks are being held to move forward in a different way.’
Balen also met former Congress MP Sunil Sharma on Thursday. After the meeting, Sharma said, ‘I proposed that we should quickly fulfill the possible demands of Gen-G by restoring the parliament through constitutional amendment, but he was in favor of holding early elections. I did not find it positive in restoring the parliament.' He said that he had replied to Balen's proposal to form a new party and move forward, 'I will move forward from the Congress and take the leadership for the next 10 years, you come and lead the new party, we will cooperate.'
Leader Amresh Singh also met Balen separately for about 15 minutes. Singh informed that discussions were held with Mayor Balen to establish change by supporting the wishes of Gen-G. He told reporters, 'The talks are open, positive. I think it will give results soon.'
Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai reached Jwagal after Singh. Balen, who left the Maoists after the promulgation of the constitution in 2072 BS and started building an alternative force, had asked him for advice, saying, 'Would you give him full support if I came into active politics? How should I move forward now?'
Balen had also urged Bhattarai to prepare to be in the next parliament. Manushi Yami Bhattarai, who participated in the Bhattarai-Balen meeting, said that there was a positive conversation for building an alternative force. ‘He said that he was ready to enter politics and asked what suggestions and support he would give as a guardian,’ she said. ‘In response, former Prime Minister Bhattarai said that he would support those who are in favor of good governance, progressive political solutions, and economic development. I have been advocating alternative politics since the past, so I am ready to support.’
After Baburam, Balen met with a group of Gen-G activists. They included Raksha Bam, Yujan Raj Bhandari, Pradeep Gyawali, KP Khanal, Purushottam Yadav, Sudhan Gurung, Ojaswi Thapa, Rohan Dangal, artist Nischal Basnet, among others.
According to Bam, during the meeting, Balen stated that Gen-G leaders are ‘stakeholders’ and said that everyone should move forward together through a new party. "He said that those who have reached the age of 25 should contest the elections at the center, and that they can contest the provincial and local elections later with the help of others," Bam told Kantipur. "We had said that after the Gen-G movement, we would stand wherever alternative forces come together, and we have decided to move forward accordingly." Balen had informed that he was doing his homework to bring other alternative forces together.
Balen also met activist Khagendra Sunar on Thursday. Sunar, who showed interest in bringing the country out of the crisis, said, "We have discussed where we stand on the issue of bringing the country out of the crisis and whether justice will be served to the country," he said, who is also the chairman of Hamro Party Nepal. "The common man would wish that Balen had come to a permanent government for 5 years, so I have said that the team with all the hopes should remain in one place." After a day-long meeting, Balen left Jwagal at around 8:15 pm after separate discussions with Kumar Ben, who is also the advisor to the metropolis.
