Rastriya Swatantra Party's Balen Shah Engages in Whirlwind Campaign Tour Across Morang and Sunsari

Biratnagar. Senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Balendra Shah (Balen), visited dozens of locations in Morang and Sunsari on Wednesday, but in many places he visited, some supporters only caught a glimpse of his face, while others did not see him at all.

According to the schedule released late Tuesday by Balen Shah's secretariat, he visited various locations from Urlabari in Morang's Constituency 1 to Constituencies 3, 2, 4, and 6. With the news of Balen's arrival, crowds gathered in those locations. Crowds were visible in most places Balen visited. In Pathari, which falls under Morang Constituency 3, he spent a comparatively longer time. Ganesh Karki, the candidate for that constituency, stated that he spent about 10 minutes there.

Besides that, he only gave 2-3 minutes in Urlabari, Letang, and Biratnagar under Constituency 1. In Biratnagar, he greeted supporters by waving from his vehicle at the Football Chowk, where the district office is located, and then proceeded towards Duhabi in Sunsari.

His schedule on Wednesday was very busy. Balen, who started from Urlabari in Morang at 7 AM, reached Pathari at 7:20 AM. He spent 10 minutes there meeting leaders and cadres at the party's Constituency 3 office. After that, his journey continued through Letang, Dainiya, and Rangeli to Biratnagar. After finishing the program in Morang, he entered Sunsari. After leaving Biratnagar, he reached Barahakshetra via Duhabi, Itahari, and Inaruwa. After a day-long rush, he departed towards Udayapur around 3 PM.

This kind of intense election campaign by Balen has created a nationwide stir. Whether in Terai districts or hilly regions, his schedule remains equally busy wherever he goes, and the crowds are notably significant. When Balen leans out of the sunroof of his vehicle, waves, and rings the bell, hundreds of youths are seen scrambling to touch him and take pictures. This scene reflects the strong faith supporters have in him.

On Wednesday, Balen also performed a puja in the waters of the Saptakoshi River, riding a boat, according to religious rites. This seems to convey the message that he wants to advance cultural values and beliefs alongside his campaign. During that time, he also spoke about some religious and civilization-related matters.

Balen, who did not speak at any meeting on Wednesday, shared a picture of himself boating in the Saptakoshi on the social media platform Facebook, stating that the Khualung Saptakoshi region is a sacred place for Kirati and Nepalis and is considered the gateway to civilization in Mundhum. He wrote, 'Since it is mandatorily remembered in Mundhum texts and life cycle rituals, it is a symbol of this living cultural-spiritual tradition. It collectively represents history, religion, and culture, reflecting Kirati civilization, indigenous identity, and the human-nature relationship.'

This status appears to be an attempt to gain the support of Kirat followers in Koshi Province who are engaged in the movement for identity and cultural preservation.

According to Ganesh Karki, the candidate for Morang Constituency 3 and an RSP leader, Balen Shah's election race is not limited to just one district. Karki says, 'Balenji has set a goal to visit all 165 constituencies in the country. According to that plan, he has already covered most areas in Koshi and the Far West.'

According to Karki, Balen has resolved to win the party not only in his own constituency, Jhapa-5, but in every constituency across the country. Refuting the accusation that he avoids questions, Karki said, 'He does not run away from questions; rather, he wishes that as many questions as possible arise. RSP will give a collective answer to all those questions and queries from the election field.'

Balen Shah's growing craze and the rise of alternative politics seem to be putting pressure on the old parties. According to political analyst Professor Krishna Pokharel, KP Sharma Oli, the chairman of CPN-UML, recently proposing an alliance with the NCP is a result of this situation.

'UML Chairman Oli's proposal for unity or cooperation with the NCP clearly shows he is rattled. The public wave seen towards Balen Shah and the RSP has unnerved the so-called major parties,' said Pokharel.

According to Pokharel, if Balen can convert the current craze he is receiving on social media and the streets into votes by election day, there is a possibility of him getting more votes than expected. 'The main challenge right now is how to translate this craze onto the ballot paper,' he said.

Pokharel claims that Balen Shah's rapid pace has forced the old players in Nepali politics to reconsider, and the results of the upcoming election could be unexpected.