Kulman’s entry into Rabi–Balen alliance uncertain as midnight talks end inconclusive

KATHMANDU: The much-anticipated trilateral unity talks among leaders of Nepal’s emerging alternative political forces have stalled at a decisive stage, amid disagreements over power and position-sharing.

The negotiations involved Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane, Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah, and Kulman Ghising, patron of the Ujyalo Nepal Party and former Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority.

Talks stretched into midnight on Sunday but failed to reach a concrete outcome after consensus could not be achieved on leadership roles within the proposed alliance.

The deadlock comes at a highly sensitive moment, as Monday is the final day to submit the closed list of proportional representation candidates to the Election Commission, putting all parties under intense time pressure. According to sources, a last-ditch effort will be made by 10:00 am Monday to salvage the unity process.

Dispute Over Ghising’s Role

Sources say Lamichhane and Shah had already reached a seven-point agreement on unity early Sunday. However, the main stumbling block remains the question of what political “space” or role would be allocated to Kulman Ghising within the alliance.

Ghising’s side has reportedly demanded either a co-chairperson position within the unified party or a guaranteed rotational prime ministership arrangement in the future.

A central committee member of the Ujyalo Nepal Party said the party is firm that merger is not possible without a respectable and clearly defined power-sharing framework.

RSP Vice-Chair Dr. Swarnim Wagle has also hinted that the talks failed because Ghising is seeking an executive-level role. Ghising, however, stated at a program in Pokhara on Sunday that he remains open to cooperation, provided it does not compromise his “self-respect and dignity.”

Gen Z Pressure and Midnight Push

The talks unfolded amid mounting pressure from Gen Z youth activists, who have been vocally calling for unity among new political forces as an alternative to traditional parties.

Reflecting this pressure, a group of young activists reportedly visited Ghising’s residence late Sunday night, urging him to join the alliance.

Following the failed talks, Sudan Gurung, founder of the youth movement Hami Nepal, expressed frustration on social media.

Gurung, who had earlier attempted to broker agreement by locking Lamichhane and Shah in a room during talks in Lalitpur, wrote late at night: “Kulman Ghising standing apart at a decisive moment is disappointing for those who want change. This era has given you a mandate to stand together. Please give the country unity, not division.”

Final Hours

Although Sunday’s talks ended without conclusion, negotiators insist the door to dialogue remains open.

A leader involved in the discussions said the next few hours are critical. “If an agreement is not reached by 10 am, it will be technically impossible to adjust proportional clusters and submit the list to the Election Commission,” the leader said. “For us, this is a do-or-die situation.”