Prime Minister Balen Shah Withdraws From Lumbini Buddha Jayanti Event

Kathmandu. Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah has suddenly withdrawn from the special ceremony to be held in Lumbini on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti on Friday.

Although Prime Minister Balen was scheduled to attend the program as the chief guest, the Lumbini Development Trust informed that he would not be able to attend the program on Wednesday.

According to Shyam Rokk, a member of the Trust, information has been received that Prime Minister Balen will not be able to attend the Buddha Jayanti ceremony due to his busy schedule. Prime Minister Balen's press advisor Deepa Dahal also confirmed that the Prime Minister does not have a program to go to Lumbini.

As the Prime Minister will not be attending, the Trust will make Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal the chief guest. According to Speaker Aryal's personal secretary Navraj Pandey, Speaker Aryal is scheduled to reach Lumbini today. He informed that Speaker Aryal will attend the Buddha Jayanti ceremony to be held tomorrow.

Although it was stated that Prime Minister Balen could not attend the program citing his busy schedule, a close source claimed that he decided not to attend the program because he did not want to 'share' the stage with the Trust's Vice-Chairman Lharkyal Lama. Lama has been involved in controversies since the past.

According to sources, President Ram Chandra Paudel was interested in attending the program earlier. However, the President was not given priority because the Trust wanted to invite Prime Minister Balen Shah. After receiving information that Prime Minister Balen would not be attending, the Trust wanted to invite the President.

However, sources claim that since the President also expressed inability to attend due to his busy schedule, the Speaker was made the chief guest.