Rastriya Swatantra Party Leaders Ravi Lamichhane and Balen Shah Address Provincial Rally in Itahari Amid Delays

Biratnagar. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) held a Koshi Province-level election rally in Pakli, Itahari-17, Sunsari on Tuesday. The rally, titled 'We Have Come: Declaration of Change Assembly,' saw party chairman Rabi Lamichhane and senior leader Balen Shah arrive three hours later than the scheduled time.

Rabi and Balen reached the venue, where the program started at 11:30 AM, around 3 PM.

As Rabi and Balen were about to arrive, singer Prakash Saput entertained the RSP supporters and cadres with a concert-like performance for a while. Before that, candidates from Tehrathum, Dhankuta, Ilam, and Udayapur gave uninspiring speeches. Many were tired of listening to such speeches and felt disheartened seeing the same style and approach from the RSP, which claims to be running for change. Instead, attendees gathered at the front gate to welcome Rabi and Balen upon their arrival. Ultimately, when Rabi and Balen entered the stage from the back, the supporters gathered at the front gate were left disappointed. There was a significant presence of youth, young adults, and the elderly at the event. Many women also came to see Rabi and Balen, carrying small children.

What did Rabi and Balen say?

At the rally, RSP Chairman Lamichhane attempted to mitigate the criticism leveled against the party. Senior leader Balen Shah, on the other hand, spoke about the concept of 'delivery,' sending a message that the focus should be on work, not just talk.

Rabi Lamichhane defended Balen Shah's aggressive remark made earlier at a rally in Dhangadhi, Sudurpashchim, where Balen had suggested that contractors causing delays in development projects should be tied to trees and forced to work. Congress President Gagan Thapa had countered Balen's statement, suggesting that laws should be reformed to ensure work is done, rather than tying people to trees. The Federation of Contractors' Associations of Nepal had also issued a statement objecting to Balen's expression.

Rabi tried to smooth things over. He said, 'Construction entrepreneurs do not need to issue statements. Now, focus on how to purchase large equipment and how to develop overnight. The country is now moving towards development,' he stated, 'When we say we will tie them up, we mean tying them up through the law.'

Targeting Gagan Thapa, Lamichhane sarcastically remarked, 'After being a Member of Parliament and Minister for 20-20 years, they finally realize they need to change the law to build roads? Keep your knowledge to yourself.'

Rabi Lamichhane began his speech by asserting that politics is no longer about cultivating empty talk. He said, 'The day for working is approaching sooner than the day for speaking. Therefore, I have also stopped speaking at length.'

Targeting leaders of old parties, he added, 'We do not have time to be soft-spoken, gentle, and choose polished words like other sweet-talking leaders. Our voice is loud because our politics is not funded by illegal crusher businesses.'

Rabi announced that he would open all corruption files dating back to 2046 BS (1989 AD). 'All scandals since '46 will be investigated. There will be no revenge, only accountability,' he said. He stated that there would be no compromise in the campaign against corruption and that bulldozers would run over the mansions of the corrupt.

Addressing the opposition's rumors that the RSP would use bulldozers on the homes of squatters, he said, 'The bulldozer will first run over the mansions of the corrupt, not the huts of the poor.'

Rabi appeared very angry about the politics occurring in schools and government offices under the guise of politics. He urged teachers to leave politics and come up with plans on how to build smart classrooms. 'You all prepare plans on how to build smart classrooms; leave the contract for politics to us,' he said.

Stating that the country has been ruined by employee and trade union politics, he said that in the future, the country's policies, not any leader, would protect employees. 'The rule of law, not leaders, will protect them. That is what we have come to do.'

Speaking on the recent cooperative crisis seen across the country, he promised that the RSP would start returning money to small depositors within 100 days of joining the government. He said, 'Blame me, but the RSP government will start returning money to small depositors within 100 days; be ready for it.'

He also warned against any conspiracy to postpone the elections, saying, 'To those who say let's postpone the election—if you postpone, postpone it by four days, we are fine with that. But let's hold the election and accept the people's verdict.'

At the same rally, Balen Shah analyzed the potential of Eastern Nepal closely. He argued that Itahari and Eastern Nepal as a whole could be made the economic engine of Nepal. He said, 'If we utilize the full potential of paddy production in 3-4 districts of Eastern Terai, it is enough to feed the entire country, but the irony is that there isn't enough food here.'

He committed to ending the compulsion of having to eat vegetables from across the border instead of consuming vegetables produced in the Eastern hills. 'Having to eat vegetables from across the border while vegetables produced in Tehrathum and Panchthar go to waste? The RSP will be the party that solves this misery,' he said.

He also prioritized the industrial issues of Biratnagar and the drinking water problem in Dharan. Regarding the 5-6 billion project to bring water from the Koshi River via mechanical lifting for Dharan's water supply, he said, 'Which party will reach the government now? The RSP wants to be the party that provides drinking water to this region.' He also mentioned building embankments and controlling floods.

He also shared a plan to elevate Eastern Nepal's tourism to a global level. He claimed that the coastal area of Udayapur could be developed like Bali in Indonesia. 'Looking at the coastal area of Udayapur, it seems it can be developed like Bali in Indonesia; RSP wants to be the party that brings such development,' Balen said. Stating that Barahakshetra is the world's first pilgrimage site, he said they would make centers of faith like Barahakshetra, Mukulung, Khwalung, and Pathibhara a destination for Nepalis from all 77 districts.

Discussing the contribution of athletes from Eastern Nepal, he emphasized the need to establish a special academy and training center for the development of football here. He said, '60-70 percent of Nepal's football players come from this East, but we have failed to develop grassroots football for them. A football player needs at least 10,000 hours of practice to become good; we will arrange that.'

Balen, wearing the Limbu cultural 'Silam Sakma,' described it as a symbol of preserving life, sending a message that the RSP is moving forward with a resolve to save the nation from the clutches of time and rescue it from the jaws of death.