KMC Mayor Balendra Shah abruptly left the Valley Mayors’ Forum in Lalitpur, citing refusal to address the forum yesterday.

Presiding over the gathering, Lalitpur’s Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan clarified that Mayor Shah had expressed a desire to speak during a presentation on waste management by Nap Waste. However, he left after being informed that he could only do so following the established meeting procedures.

In a Facebook post, Mayor Balen clarified his decision and has stated: “I was boycotting a meeting organized by 17 municipalities that were paid by a private company. Politicians have already tried to sell the country, but Kathmandu Metropolitan is not for sale. Even if you sell the whole country, Kathmandu alone will stand as Nepal.