By Our Reporter
Kathmandu’s Mayor Balen Shah and CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli are now busy exchanging words with each other. Equally divided are their supporters, but Balen’s have outnumbered Oli’s by several folds.
The enmity between the two intensified after the Road Division Kathmandu prevented Mayor Shah from expanding the pavements of New Road.
As the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport is led by Raghubir Mahaseth, a yes man of the UML chair Oli, Balen accused Oli of preventing him from executing his plan to expand the pavement.
Irked by the acts of the Road Division Office, Balen opened fire at Oli by writing on his Facebook page alleging Oli’s involvement in the Rs. 100 billion scam in the Giri Bandhu Tea Estate land swap of 343.19 bigha.
His status received thousands of comments. His followers liked the status prompting UML lawmaker Yogesh Bhattarai to raise the issue in the House of Representatives. Bhattarai, probably at the instruction of Oli, said that the image of the leaders who fought for political changes should not be tarnished. Recently, Bhattarai further said that Balen should join the UML to do politics.
Even Oli commented that what Balen said was like kicking the buffalo by a fly.
However, what Balen raised has pushed the UML and its chair to defensive position. Even the Nepali Congress has raised the issue of Oli’s involvement in the policy-level corruption in the Giri Bandhu Tea Estate land.
Moreover, the supporters of Balen have blamed Oli for involving in corrupt activities and preventing Balen from working.
They argue that Balen’s plan to expand the pavement was right and that he should be allowed to work as per the law.
Mayor Balen also warned Oli to return the advance payments to the victims on time, implying that a messiah may emerge and reopen the files. “After all, you are well familiar with jail.”
A few months ago, the Supreme Court overturned the Oli government’s decision to allow the Jhapa-based Giri Bandhu Tea Estate to swap land that exceeded the legal ownership ceiling in any other part of Koshi province.
The Supreme Court’s constitutional bench, led by Bishowambhar Prasad Shrestha, ruled that the Oli Cabinet’s April 26, 2021, decision violated Section 12(C) of the Land Act 1964 and was immature.
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