Kathmandu — Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane and Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah have reached a seven‑point agreement to contest the upcoming House of Representatives election under one party.
Under the deal, Lamichhane will lead the party. After the election, Shah will be put forward as the leader of the parliamentary party and the party’s candidate for prime minister.
The agreement outlines a roadmap for the next ten years and states that both sides accept it. Shah has agreed to join the RSP, and the party will keep its current name, flag, and election symbol.
Lamichhane and Shah signed the document without listing their official titles. Still, the agreement states that Lamichhane will remain the central chair of the RSP and Shah will be the party’s prime‑ministerial candidate after the election.
The deal also signals that Shah may resign as mayor and enter full‑time party politics.
The first point of the agreement commits the party to support the Gen Z‑led movement against corruption and poor governance. It also promises to address the demands of families of those injured or killed during past protests.
The second point calls for policy, institutional, and structural reforms to support growth and social justice. The two leaders say they aim to help Nepal reach middle‑income status within ten years.
The agreement describes Lamichhane and Shah as the first and second parties to the deal and calls for “broad unity.” It says the party will expand its structure and assign roles based on merit, inclusion, and public reputation.
The document does not mention Kulman Ghising or the Ujyaalo Nepal Party. However, it hints that other alternative political groups and figures may join the broader unity effort.
The RSP plans to implement the agreement at once and update its records with the Election Commission. Proportional candidates from Shah’s side will run under the RSP banner, and the party may submit its proportional candidate list within two days. There are still about three weeks left to file nominations for first‑past‑the‑post seats.
The agreement calls on other reform‑minded political groups to work together on democratic governance, growth, and social justice. It does not clarify the roles of other party officials or the process for selecting and managing candidates.
Lamichhane and Shah have discussed joining forces several times in the past, but those talks did not produce a result. This seven‑point deal is now seen as a major step toward reorganizing Nepal’s alternative political forces.
