New Delhi, March 24 – The Central Committee of Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which won the general election on March 5, is scheduled to meet on Thursday afternoon to elect its Parliamentary Party leader, according to reports from Kathmandu.
The party is likely to nominate the engineer-rapper and social media sensation, Balendra Shah, whom it had previously presented as its Prime Ministerial candidate.
The 35-year-old leader, popularly known as 'Balen', emerged as a prominent political figure after serving as the Mayor of Kathmandu and leading the youth-driven "Gen Z" protests that ousted the previous government.
The centrist RSP, founded in 2022, won a landslide victory, securing 182 of the 275 seats in the country's House of Representatives.
Balen himself defeated former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli in Oli's stronghold of Jhapa-5 constituency, signalling a significant shift away from Nepal's traditional political elite.
On Thursday, the newly elected members of the House of Representatives are also expected to take the oath before the central committee meeting, chaired by party President Rabi Lamichhane.
The day is also being celebrated as Ram Navami.
Soon after taking office, the new government will need to address the economic situation in Nepal and decide on strategies for its recovery, public sector reform, and job creation.
Furthermore, immediate fiscal discipline and visible anti-corruption measures will be politically crucial.
Simultaneously, there is the issue of tackling climate resilience, along with energy and infrastructure gaps.
Balen, who has advocated a "Nepal-first" policy, will also need to maintain a delicate foreign policy balance with two powerful neighbours, India and China.
The Kathmandu Post, on Tuesday, highlighted issues related to climate change and water security, calling for prioritizing water security and climate adaptation alongside job creation and energy, given rising glacial melt, floods, and drought risks.
The report stated that while the RSP's election manifesto pledged several strategies to address climate change, "these commitments are principled and align with Nepal's specific vulnerabilities, but they demand a great deal of transparency and clarity."
The Cabinet will be under close scrutiny on governance, anti-corruption drives, and public service delivery.
The changes in Kathmandu followed mid-term elections, forced by Gen Z protesters demanding a clean, efficient, and non-partisan government.
Another area of concern is infrastructure development and safety issues.
Despite the increase in tourist arrivals in January-February, which matched pre-Covid levels, a series of aviation disasters and a lack of updated airport facilities have drawn criticism, with the European Union adding Nepal's civil aviation to its blacklist since 2013.
On the other hand, rapid spending on jobs and infrastructure risks fiscal imbalance; this can be mitigated with targeted public-private partnerships and donor coordination.
While Hip-Hop may have gained popularity on Nepal's streets following the support of numerous musicians for last year's Gen Z movement, it will take more than their music to ensure the government operates efficiently as expected by the people.
As The Kathmandu Post pointed out in an opinion piece on Monday, "Ultimately, his real test will not be in his decisions, but in his perspective."
It began by noting, "The tale of an extraordinary struggle between power, the system and hopes places Balendra Shah at the centre of Nepali politics as its narrator. This very week, he will formally enter Singha Durbar, the Secretariat of the Chief Executive. The story of reaching Singha Durbar is full of suspense and thrill, and has become legendary in its own right. Yet, this is also the message of electoral politics."
