Rabi Lamichhane and Balen Shah Urge Voters to Write a 'Golden History' at RSP Rally in Dhangadhi

Kathmandu. The Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Rabi Lamichhane, and senior leader Balen Shah urged voters on Wednesday to help write a golden history in the upcoming election scheduled for Falgun 21. They made this appeal to the general electorate during the 'Change Declaration Assembly' organized by the RSP in Dhangadhi, the capital of Sudurpashchim Province.

Excited by the nationwide wave appearing in favor of the RSP, Rabi and Balen held their first election assembly in Sudurpashchim. This region, comprising 16 constituencies, is traditionally considered a stronghold of the Nepali Congress and the Communists. Addressing the assembly, which saw a significant presence of RSP workers, well-wishers, and supporters, senior leader Balen Shah expressed anger that infrastructure development taking two years to build was not achieved in 20 years.

‘The poor without money in their pockets must get education; that is our agenda. The poor must get health treatment. Roads that should take two years to build were not built in 20 years, they should have been built in a year and a half; that is our agenda,’ he said. ‘Whether it is tied to a tree, laid down on the road, or locked in a cage, the road must be built. Here, they think, 'I don't have votes in this area, why should I build a road?' If the Rastriya Swatantra Party comes to power, it will build roads for Congress to use, roads for UML to use, roads for Maoists to use. It will build roads for everyone to use.’

Balen also questioned the statements made by leaders of old parties about making the country like Switzerland.

‘The father of Switzerland, Badimalika, is here; why do we need to make Switzerland? The pinnacle of Switzerland, Rara and Roshn, is here; why do we need to make Switzerland? Khaptad National Park is here; why do we need to make Switzerland? We are people who do not realize the wealth we possess,’ he said. He noted that despite having many artists from Sudurpashchim, they have failed to connect the region to the federal capital, Kathmandu. He clarified that Sudurpashchim would only be connected when songs from the region are played on every corner of Kathmandu.

‘There are many artists here. The day a song from Sudurpashchim is played on every corner of Kathmandu, only then will it be connected to Kathmandu. First, the song must be played. Then the voice will be heard. Then the demands will be met. It sounds small, but this is the agenda of the Rastriya Swatantra Party.’

Stating that the RSP did not come to ask for votes, he urged people to ask for work. Balen committed to delivering results even if they were not given votes.

‘We have not come to ask for your vote. We have come to ask for work; give us work. Even if you do not vote for us, the RSP will develop Sudurpashchim,’ he said. ‘Give our candidates and party members a list of what needs to be done. It's okay if you don't vote; just give us the list of tasks. The RSP will show results by working.’

Balen, who spoke for about four minutes, concluded his address without long speeches or assurances. Chairman Rabi Lamichhane, who spoke at the end of the program, also avoided lengthy speeches and promises. Speaking for about seven minutes, Lamichhane urged people to shut down the shutters of old parties. He expressed confidence that since the RSP has already settled in everyone's heart, the stamp will be placed on the ballot paper on Falgun 21.

‘The stamp is placed on the ballot paper on the 21st, but the stamp has already been placed on the heart. We must stop the work that has not been done for years by making the rights of the people and the issues of Sudurpashchim our demands. One shutter must be closed: either close ours or close theirs. We will close the shutter of misgovernance, close the shutter of anarchy, close the shutter of unemployment and illiteracy on the 21st. We will write history, not just cast a vote,’ Lamichhane said.  

He clarified that the era where old political parties kept the problems of the landless in Sudurpashchim as a vote bank for years would end.

‘The problems of the landless have arisen here. Many friends have kept these problems as an agenda for years. They use them as a vote bank,’ he said. ‘The RSP will end the era of writing manifestos in bold letters every election by making political distortions and anomalies a demand. We will fulfill the demands of the people. That is why we have asked for a stable government for five years.’

Asserting that the RSP has entered into a contract with the people for the first time, Rabi clarified that the situation where those who give votes receive punishment would end. ‘Leaders make promises, but the people who give the votes receive the punishment? This will not continue. If the one who makes the promise does not fulfill it, they will receive the punishment. The people will not be punished,’ he said. He called on everyone who had gone abroad in search of work from Sudurpashchim to take leave this time and return home to write history.

Lamichhane stated that although some party has won elections repeatedly in the past, the people have always lost. He committed to ensuring the people win this time. ‘This time, the country needs to change. Elections have been held in this country before. Some party has won the election. Some leader has always won. But the people never won. This time, we will make the people win,’ he said. ‘My aspiration is not big; we have come this time keeping the aspiration of the nation at the center. Do not divide your vote. I respect your loyalty to your party. But at a time when the existence of the nation must be saved, at this historic juncture, you should be able to say that I also contributed to the change in the country.’

Lamichhane further said, ‘This is the time. Your party existed yesterday, who knows if it will exist tomorrow. Who knows if our party will exist tomorrow. But we do not know if we will get the opportunity to write history with our own hands again. Ravi and Balen are coming together today to build the nation; they have come now.’

Rabi expressed dissatisfaction that many people only talked about the Singha Durbar being burned down. He stated that they have come not just to rebuild the burned Singha Durbar but to transform it.

‘Many people here only talk about Singha Durbar being burned. If Singha Durbar is burned, we will rebuild it, but this time we will change Singha Durbar,’ he said. ‘Many people will confuse you. They might come to steal votes by saying, 'If these people come, they will run bulldozers over the poor settlements.' Ask them: Who has been running bulldozers over our dreams for 35 years?’