KATHMANDU:- The seven-point agreement signed by Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s Mayor, Balendra Shah, and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane on Sunday morning, and a similar agreement with Kulman Ghising on Monday night, have sparked new excitement in Nepali politics. 

The disclosure of the agreement in the wee hours of Sunday sent a positive message not only to the supporters of Shah and RSP but also to the people, who voted them in the 2022 local level and House of Representatives elections.

They were further excited Monday night when Rabi, Balen, and Kulman decided to unite under RSP by inking another seven-point agreement.

“The agreement has energised politics and ensured elections; what they did is encouraging,” said Shiva Parajuli of Kathmandu 32.

However, the agreement has sent a shock wave to the traditional parties, which refused to make reforms in line with the Gen-Z movement of September 8 and 9. Shah won the mayoral position of the capital city as an independent candidate by defeating Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML in the 2022 local level polls. This shows his popularity among the voters, while the RSP emerged as the fourth largest party in the 2022 general elections held within five months of its formation in June 2022. Kulman, now a senior minister in the Sushila Karki-led interim government, is hailed for ending load-shedding in Nepal.

The agreement has surely posed a challenge to the traditional parties, Parajuli added.

After holding marathon meetings, the two leaders managed to reach the agreement, according to which Lamichhane will head the party and Shah will be the prime ministerial candidate of the RSP in the March 5, 2026 polls.  Kulman, who formed the Ujyalo Nepal Party after the Gen-Z movement, is given the post of vice president in the RSP.

These agreements have also given new momentum to the election environment.  Both established and new political parties have submitted the names of their candidates contesting the HoR elections under the proportional representation (PR) category on Monday.

After the Gen-Z movement, many young people, frustrated with the old political parties, are placing their hopes on new faces and alternative political parties. While some citizens remain loyal to the old parties, they are also seeking restructuring and reassurances within their leadership. However, it did not happen even three months after the movement, which has disappointed the voters of traditional parties.

Political analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta said that the practice of coalition-building is not new to any democratic political system.

When the election arrives, both old and new parties will seek to form alliances and contest together, he added.

“As we have seen previously, I strongly believe that the old political parties will ally while contesting the election. The same trend has also reached the newly formed parties and leaders, including Balendra Shah and Rabi Lamichhane. But the question remains, is this coalition about addressing the demands of the recent movement, or is it simply about power-sharing?” said Bhatta.

According to Bhatta, in a country like Nepal, the practice of power-sharing has more influence on politics than a clear vision for the future.

“There is a fear factor arising due to the possible coalition of new political parties, which could also exert pressure on the old parties to form alliances. But the biggest issue Nepali politicians and parties face is power management. The old parties want to retain that power, while the new ones are eager to take over,” said Bhatta.

Political leaders of the old parties view this coalition with skepticism.

CPN-UML leader Mahesh Kumar Bartaula described the unification of Shah and Lamichhane as a healthy democratic practice.

“In a democracy, everyone has the right to form a coalition. CPN-UML has also formed alliances with other political parties to create a safe and stable political environment for the nation. Therefore, I consider this move to be entirely standard,” he said. However, Bartaula also expressed doubts about the nature of the coalition.

“We are ready to participate in the election in a secure environment, but I have my concerns that the government and the recent coalition may be influenced by external forces. This alliance seems to be more about power-sharing than about achieving long-term stability,” he added. “We remain undeterred and are ready to fight for the national interest and its prosperity, that is why we will participate in the election.”

Similarly, Nepali Congress leader Shyam Ghimire also welcomed the unification of Shah and Lamichhane, calling it a normal political practice.

“In a democracy, there is freedom of expression, the right to form alliances, and the freedom to exercise one’s rights, as long as it is for the benefit of the nation and in accordance with our constitutional rights. I view the unification of Shah and Lamichhane in the same light,” said Ghimire. “Nepali Congress has always fought for democracy and will continue to do so. Therefore, we are not worried about any coalition. Nepali Congress has already announced its participation in the election, and we are internally preparing for that,” he added.

The upcoming election on March 5, 2026, is expected to address the long-standing issues of political instability, corruption, and poor governance in the country. While coalition-building to form a stable political power is not a new practice in Nepali politics, the question remains whether the new unification, if it gains power, will move forward in a way that truly reflects the will of the Nepali people or simply repeat the mistakes of the past.