Kathmandu, — After a prolonged halt in administrative proceedings, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) appears poised to resume its stalled municipal operations. Mayor Balendra Shah has taken the first step toward restarting the executive meetings and municipal assembly by holding crucial discussions with Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol and three ward chairs representing different political parties.
In a confidential meeting held recently, Ward Chair of Ward 17 and KMC spokesperson Naveen Manandhar (Nepali Congress), Ward Chair of Ward 32 Nawaraj Parajuli (CPN-UML), and Ward Chair of Ward 15 Ishwarman Dangol (CPN-Socialist) participated in the talks. According to Manandhar, the discussions marked a positive shift in the city’s political environment.
Mayor Seeks Political Cooperation to End Deadlock
Mayor Shah reportedly proposed a cooperative way forward, emphasizing the need for unity among elected representatives. The parties reached a consensus to convene the long-overdue executive meeting and municipal assembly in the near future. The discussions focused on finalizing agendas and outlining preparatory steps to revive decision-making processes within the metropolitan government.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City has not held an executive meeting since mid-January. Tensions had escalated after Mayor Shah suspended Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Saroj Guragain on corruption allegations, creating a rift between him and most of the executive members, including Deputy Mayor Dangol.
The recent meeting lasted nearly four hours and was followed by a separate one-on-one discussion between the mayor and deputy mayor. According to city officials, this marked the end of nearly two and a half months of silence between the two top leaders, signaling a hopeful restoration of dialogue.
Administrative Rift Disrupts City Governance
The administrative deadlock began when Mayor Shah unilaterally suspended CAO Guragain, triggering institutional dysfunction. When city staff and elected representatives later facilitated Guragain’s return to office, Mayor Shah refused to engage with him or the deputy mayor, intensifying internal divisions. Shah was reportedly dissatisfied with Deputy Mayor Dangol’s active role in reinstating the suspended CAO.
As of now, Mayor Shah has not held any meetings or discussions with Guragain, whose presence at the office has resumed. The absence of communication between the city’s top officials has left the metropolitan administration in disarray.
With the deadline for presenting the new fiscal year’s budget (mid-July) fast approaching, no formal discussion on budget preparation had begun until now. The absence of executive meetings had also stalled key policy decisions.
Signs of Progress as Budget Deadline Nears
Following the recent meeting, there is renewed optimism among elected representatives that the budget will be tabled on time this year. As the mayor and deputy mayor resume dialogue, many believe the executive body and municipal assembly will soon be functional again, potentially restoring administrative stability in Nepal’s capital.
