Kathmandu’s former mayor and rising political figure Balendra (Balen) Shah has secured the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) ticket to contest the upcoming House of Representatives election from Jhapa Constituency No. 5, turning the seat into one of the most closely watched battlegrounds in the country.
Jhapa-5 is expected to witness a major political showdown, as CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli, a four-time prime minister and one of Nepal’s most influential leaders, is also anticipated to contest from the same constituency. The potential clash has drawn national attention, framing the race as a generational and ideological contest between established traditional politics and a youth-driven, reform-oriented alternative.
Balen, who rose to prominence through his independent mayoral victory in Kathmandu and later aligned with the RSP, enjoys strong support among young voters and urban reform advocates. His candidacy is seen as a challenge to long-standing political dominance in Jhapa, a district historically linked with UML leadership.
Political analysts believe the contest could signal a broader shift in Nepal’s political landscape, testing whether public frustration with traditional parties translates into electoral change. With campaigning expected to intensify in the coming weeks, Jhapa-5 is set to become a focal point of national political debate.