Balen Shah

Infrastructure and public services

On 6 June 2022, an agreement was reached between the Ministry of Urban Development and the newly elected representatives to commence garbage disposal from 7 June and on 18 August 2022, following a four-point agreement between the locals and government officials, Shah directed private companies to handle the disposal of all uncollected solid waste.^[24]

Under Shah's administration, investments in street accessibility and cleanliness were implemented, with tactile pavements installed to allow citizens with visual impairments to navigate the city more freely. Falcha-style bus stops which are structures inspired by traditional Newari resting places were constructed across the city.^[25] New bus routes were introduced, bus stops were upgraded, and a smart ticketing system was implemented to provide a more reliable travel experience for commuters.^[26]

Transparency

As one of his first acts upon taking office, Shah introduced live telecasts of municipal council meetings — the first time such proceedings were broadcast publicly in Kathmandu's history.^[27] His administration also introduced an online building permit system and implemented digital signatures to enhance efficiency and reduce opportunities for corruption.^[28]

Education

Shah launched the "Textbook-Free Friday" programme in community schools to help students develop technical skills and engage in extracurricular activities. He also directed private schools in Kathmandu to provide scholarships to at least 10% of students, in line with existing education legislation.^[29]

Healthcare

Shah's administration committed Rs 90 million to establish modern operating theatres at Kanti Children's Hospital, improve outpatient services at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, and enhance coronary care at Manmohan Transplant Centre.^[30]

Cultural heritage

Shah's administration expanded programmes supporting Kathmandu's intangible cultural heritage, including the Living Kumari, Bhairav, and Ganesh traditions. Agreements were also reached with Tribhuvan University to modernise municipal services and help preserve traditional water sources known as hiti.^[31]

Demolitions and evictions

In 2022, soon after being elected mayor, Shah embarked on a widespread demolition drive in Kathmandu, using bulldozers to tear down buildings and structures he said were on public land. He primarily targeted commercial buildings, including the Alfa Beta Complex in Baneshwor, the RB Complex in Khichapokhari, the Suraj Arcade in New Road, and the underpass connecting Bhotahiti with Ratna Park.^[32] Kathmandu Metropolitan City gave these businesses a 35-day notice, and when the deadline expired, it immediately began demolishing the structures. The demolitions initially drew widespread praise from the public but were ultimately criticized for a high-handed approach and a lack of follow-ups after the initial demolitions.^[33]

As part of the demolition drive, Shah also sought to dig up the Tukucha (Ikshumati) River, which had been built over in the past. He destroyed part of the Jai Nepal Cinema Hall and unearthed the river beneath its premises.^[34] However, a stay order from the Patan High Court halted any further demolition activity. Critics claimed that Tukucha was not a river per se but more of a drainage canal and that Shah's actions infringed upon the right to private property.^[35] In 2023, the High Court eventually decided that while the Tukucha was a legitimate river and deserved protection, the same applied to the rights of private property holders.^[36] As of 2026, the river remains unearthed on the premises of the Jai Nepal Cinema Hall, but no further conservation activity has taken place.

In November 2022, Kathmandu Metropolitan City attempted to evict landless squatters residing on the banks of the Bagmati River. The attempt resulted in a pitched battle between municipal workers and squatters that left over 21 injured.^[37] Following the attempt, squatters protested against the actions of Shah and the city officials, demanding alternative housing arrangement before being relocated.^[38] These demands were supported by activists who also asked Shah and the city to arrange for alternative housing before embarking on a demolition drive.^[39]

The Kathmandu Metropolitan Government, led by Shah, has faced criticism from organizations like Human Rights Watch due to allegations of employing disproportionate use of force against street vendors.^[40] His policies have also led to the emergence of small-scale protests by social activists, triggered by the circulation of videos showing the municipal police chasing down, beating and confiscating vendors' properties.^[41] Critics of Shah's crackdown on street vendors argue that since nearly half of the country's economy relies on informal businesses, such actions adversely impact the standard of living of the urban poor without offering viable alternative solutions.^[42]

In September 2023, the political activist known as Iih stood for 199 hours outside Kathmandu City Hall, urging the mayor to allow street vendors to conduct business without interference until an alternative solution could be proposed. Support for the protest came from figures like Kathmandu-4 MP Gagan Thapa, former Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa, and former Finance Minister Surendra Pandey. Addressing the protest, Mayor Shah stated on Facebook that he was enforcing laws enacted by lawmakers, including MP Thapa. He also argued that restricting street vendors does not effectively address poverty and expressed concern about the injustice faced by those whose property had been confiscated during the city's road expansion initiatives. The protest concluded with an agreement between Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Iih, aimed at developing an alternative plan for street vendors, issuing temporary permits for specific areas and times, and returning confiscated goods to their owners.^[43][44]

Comment inciting violence against Singha Durbar

In September 2023, Shah publicly threatened, on Facebook, to burn down Singha Durbar, the administrative centre of the federal government. His post came after his wife, Sabina Kafle, was stopped for a routine security check by traffic police while travelling in a vehicle with government plates.^[45] Shah wrote, "Nothing happened today, but if any KMC vehicles are stopped tomorrow onwards, I will set the Singha Durbar on fire." The Facebook post was heavily criticized by civil society and political parties across the board for being insensitive and for having the potential to incite violence against the federal government. After the controversy, Shah's personal advisor, Bhupdev Shah, released a press statement saying that Kafle was unnecessarily harassed while travelling to a hospital after suffering labour pains.^[46] However, it later emerged that Kafle had already given birth a week prior and that the press statement was categorically false.^[47] In September 2025, Gen Z protesters set fire to Singha Durbar.^[48][49]

Map of Greater Nepal

In June 2023, Shah courted controversy by placing a 'Greater Nepal' map in his office, drawing strong objections from India.^[50] Greater Nepal is an irredentist concept claims territories beyond Nepal's present-day borders that were once under Nepali control before the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli — including areas now in several Indian states. Shah's display of the map was widely reported as a symbolic response to the controversy over a Maurya Empire mural displayed in India's new Parliament building.^[51]

Temporary ban of Indian films

In June 2023, Shah moved to ban the screening of all Indian films in Kathmandu after the Indian film Adipurush included a dialogue stating that "Sita is a daughter of India."^[52] The dialogue sparked controversy in Nepal, where Sita from the Ramayan is actually believed to have been born in Janakpur, Nepal.^[53] The ban was challenged at the Patan High Court, which ordered Shah to lift the ban. Shah initially refused but was forced to lift the ban.^[54] Later, he once again took to social media, calling the federal government and the judiciary "Indian slaves". He maintained the ban despite a court order directing its removal.^[55]

Offensive posts about neighbouring countries and political parties

In November 2025, Shah posted on Facebook, targeting countries like India, China, US, and various political parties like CPN (UML), Nepali Congress, Rastriya Swatantra Party, RPP, and the Maoists, using the "profane word" fuck.^[56] The post was quickly deleted but not before it had once again invited criticism from across the board.^[57]

2025 Gen Z protests

After the Gen-Z protests in September 2025, the Nepal Student Union, the student wing of the Nepali Congress, filed a police complaint against Shah, accusing him of inciting violence and failing to deploy fire engines to control blazes ignited by protesters on buildings like Singha Durbar and the parliament building. Shah rejected these claims, stating that city teams worked around the clock to ensure public safety and protect infrastructure.^[58]

2026 general election

On 28 December 2025, Shah formally unified with the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), resigning as Mayor of Kathmandu on 18 January 2026 to contest in the 2026 Nepalese general election as the party's prime ministerial candidate.^[59][60] His entry came at a critical juncture for the party, which had been struggling under the shadow of its founder Rabi Lamichhane's numerous legal controversies, including charges of fraud and alleged misappropriation of funds in Nepal's cooperative sector.^[61]

Political analysts widely credited Shah's entry with injecting new life into the RSP. "RSP, with its changed avatar after bringing in big names like Shah and Ghising, could reshape the electoral landscape," said political analyst Shree Krishna Aniruddha Gautam.^[62] The merger agreement included a seven-point commitment addressing anti-corruption demands, Gen Z aspirations, and governance reforms, positioning the RSP as a major alternative to the traditional establishment parties.^[63]

While Lamichhane retained the formal chairpersonship of the RSP, Shah rapidly emerged as the party's dominant public face and the principal source of its electoral momentum. Unlike Lamichhane, whose political style attracted significant controversy, Shah cultivated a softer, more inclusive approach, drawing enormous support from across Nepal without resorting to divisive rhetoric or hate speech. His campaign rallies drew mass participation from young Nepalis, women, Madheshi communities, and diaspora supporters, reflecting a broad national appeal that transcended regional and ethnic lines.^[64]

Shah made his electoral debut for the RSP at a rally in Janakpur on 19 January 2026, presenting himself as a son of Madhesh, having been born in Mahottari District and seeking to extend the party's reach beyond its urban base.^[65] He chose to contest the high-profile Jhapa-5 constituency, directly challenging four-time former Prime Minister and CPN (UML) chairperson K. P. Sharma Oli. Oli had won that seat in every election since 2008 with the exception of the 2008 election. In the 2023 general election, Oli had won with 54,319 votes securing a margin of 28,576. Shah challenging Oli in the latter's own stronghold drew national and international attention.^[66][67]

In the 5 March 2026 general election, the RSP emerged as the dominant force in early vote counts, leading in over 90 constituencies out of 165 directly elected seats a result widely attributed to the wave of public enthusiasm Shah had generated.^[68] The party led in all ten constituencies of the Kathmandu Valley, while its rivals the Nepali Congress, CPN (UML), and CPN (Maoist Centre) trailed far behind.^[69] In Jhapa-5, Shah defeated Oli with 68,348 votes to Oli's 18,734.^[70][71][72]

Shah was officially elected to the House of Representatives from Jhapa-5 on 7 March 2026 and received his victory certificate the same day. According to the final results published by the Election Commission of Nepal, Shah secured 68,348 votes, the highest vote total ever recorded in Nepal's parliamentary election history, surpassing the previous record of 57,139 votes set by Oli himself in the same constituency in 2017.^[73][74][75] Oli received 18,734 votes, giving Shah a winning margin of 49,614 votes.^[73]

Appointment

As the parliamentary leader of the majority party in House of Representatives, Balen Shah was appointed prime minister on 27 March 2026.^[76] Balen selected his cabinet just before being appointed the Prime Minister of Nepal by the President of Nepal.^[77]

2022 Kathmandu mayoral election

2026 Jhapa-5 parliamentary election