Balen welcomed by jubilant crowd in Nepalgunj

By Siraj Khan, Nepalgunj, Jan. 27: Leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Balendra (Balen) Shah, was accorded a grand welcome upon his arrival in Nepalgunj on Monday. 

Shah, who is currently on an election campaign tour of western Nepal, stopped in the city whilst en route to the Far West region. 

Despite a five-hour delay caused by poor weather conditions affecting his flight, hundreds of supporters, local leaders, and party cadres gathered at both Nepalgunj Airport and the Nepalgunj Bazaar to greet him.

Upon arrival, Shah travelled from the airport in an open-top jeep, waving to locals who had lined the roads to catch a glimpse of the leader. A significant crowd had been waiting since early morning, including notable figures such as Banke Constituency No. 3 candidate and central member Khagendra Sunar, Constituency No. 2 candidate Bivek Kumar Shrestha, outgoing MP Laxmi Tiwari, and local leaders Nilraj Adhikari and Buddhi Sagar Subedi.

Although Shah was originally scheduled to formally inaugurate the district party office, the event had to be postponed. Party leader Buddhi Sagar Subedi explained that the sheer size of the crowd surrounding the building made proceeding with the ceremony impractical. 

Following his reception in Nepalgunj, Shah continued his journey towards Bardiya via Kohalpur, with further campaign stops planned in Kailali.