Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is facing disruption as tensions rise between Mayor Balen Shah and ward chairpersons. The latest point of contention? Disagreements over budget allocation during a recent municipal assembly meeting.
Mayor Shah took to social media on Friday, accusing representatives from the Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML of obstructing the assembly. According to his post, the disagreement stemmed from his proposal to dedicate programs to honor independent martyrs instead of party leaders BP Koirala and Madan Bhandari.
Shah claims that NC and UML members proposed expensive programs in the names of their respective party leaders. He countered their proposals by suggesting programs that honor national heroes like Shukraraj Shastri, Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Dashrath Chand, and Gangalal Shrestha. This disagreement reportedly led to a walkout by NC and UML representatives, forcing the assembly meeting to a halt.
The incident highlights the ongoing friction between Mayor Shah, who ran as an independent candidate, and established political parties. Shah has previously advocated for a focus on development and reducing unnecessary spending, which may clash with traditional party politics.
Whether a compromise can be reached or the disagreements continue to disrupt the assembly remains to be seen. Kathmandu residents will be watching closely as the city grapples with these internal conflicts.
