Kathmandu: Senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Balen Shah, has claimed that his party has the vision and determination to transform Sudurpashchim into a prosperous and self-reliant region.
Addressing the party’s “Pariwartan Udgosh” (Call for Change) rally, Shah said only the RSP possesses the strength to fulfill the dream of building the nation by developing Sudurpashchim. He pledged to end the situation where citizens are deprived of education and healthcare due to financial hardship.
“People without money in their pockets, the poor and underprivileged, must have access to education and healthcare,” he said. “A road that should be built in two years does not get completed even in 20 years. Now it must be completed within a year and a half — that is our agenda.”
Stressing that delays in infrastructure development would not be tolerated, Shah said road construction would be a top priority. “Whether it takes tying ourselves to trees, lying down on the roads, or locking ourselves in enclosures, the roads must be built,” he declared.
He further claimed that if the RSP comes to power, it would build roads used by supporters of all major political parties, including the Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), and Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), as well as the general public.
Referring to frequent comparisons of Nepal with Switzerland, Shah argued that Sudurpashchim itself is rich in natural beauty and tourism potential. “People say we should make Nepal like Switzerland, but the father of Switzerland — Badimalika — is right here,” he said. “The peak of Switzerland is Ramaroshan, it is here. Khaptad National Park is here. Why should we try to become Switzerland?”
He cited Badimalika Temple, Ramaroshan, and Khaptad National Park as examples of Sudurpashchim’s unique identity and untapped potential, emphasizing the need to showcase the region at the national level.
“We Nepalis are like people who don’t realize the value of what we already have,” Shah said. “We have not been able to present what we possess, nor have we been able to connect Sudurpashchim.”
Highlighting the need for cultural and emotional unity between Sudurpashchim and Kathmandu, he said the region would truly be connected the day its songs are played in the streets of the capital.
Shah concluded by asserting that the RSP had not come to seek votes but to seek work. “The Rastriya Swatantra Party has not come here to ask for votes, but to ask for work. Give us work,” he said. “Even if you do not vote for us, we will develop Sudurpashchim. Instead of votes, give us a list of tasks. We will prove ourselves through action. Sudur will no longer remain distant.”
