Balendra Shah takes oath as RSP backs him for prime minister

KATHMANDU: Balendra Shah, senior leader of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), was seen wearing a Silam Sakma badge on his coat collar when he appeared for the oath‑taking ceremony for the newly elected members of the House of Representatives at the Parliament Building in Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, today.

The RSP has proposed Shah, elected from Jhapa Constituency No. 5, as prime minister and the party is preparing to select him as its parliamentary party leader; it called a meeting this afternoon for that purpose. The RSP became the largest party in Parliament, winning 182 seats in the House of Representatives election held on March 5.

Shah sat in the first row in the meeting hall as the RSP’s proposed prime minister, with party president Rabi Lamichhane seated to his right and vice presidents DP Aryal and Dr Swarnim Wagle to his left. Padma Prasad Pandeya, Secretary General of the Federal Parliament, welcomed the newly elected MPs taking part in the oath‑taking ceremony. The most senior member of Parliament, Arjun Narsingh KC, who was presiding over the meeting, administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new MPs.

Immediately after the oath‑taking ceremony, Shah drove himself out of the Parliament premises.

The Silam Sakma is the cultural symbol of the Kirat people and is regarded as a talisman. In the Kirati language, Si means death and Lam means way. It is believed that wearing a Silam Sakma blocks the path to death and it is particularly regarded as a protective amulet and an auspicious omen.

In the 2022 local elections, Shah was elected mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City as an independent candidate and is popular among young people. He is a structural engineer by profession and is also known as a popular rapper.

By RSS