Kathmandu: Prime Minister Sushila Karki held a meeting on Sunday evening with representatives from the Valley Mayors Forum at her official residence in Baluwatar. The delegation expressed confidence that the upcoming elections would be successfully conducted under the Prime Minister’s leadership and pledged their full cooperation.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah ‘Balen’ did not attend the meeting. His absence drew attention on social media, where users questioned his decision at a time when the political environment remains tense. Though Balen had recommended the formation of the current government, observers suggested that he appears dissatisfied with the present political situation.

During the discussion, the mayors briefed the Prime Minister on pressing issues affecting local governments, ranging from waste management and unpaid streetlight bills to security challenges and stalled development works. According to the Office of the Prime Minister, the local leaders emphasized the need for the federal government to take bold decisions to resolve long-standing problems.

Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan highlighted the prolonged delay in settling streetlight dues and proposed a cost-sharing model in which 60 percent of payments are made by the local government and 40 percent by the federal government.

The mayor of Gokarneshwar Municipality urged the government to begin road expansion on land owned by the Nepal Trust, while Tokha Municipality Mayor Prakash Adhikari called for decisive action on compensation related to the Tokha–Chhahare road widening project, noting that a non-partisan government is well-positioned to take such a step.

Budhanilkantha Mayor Mitharam Adhikari requested strict measures against theft and vandalism carried out by individuals unaffiliated with the recent Gen-Z protests. Changunarayan Municipality Mayor Jeevan Khatri pressed for the expedited completion of the long-delayed Sallaghari–Kamalbinayak–Nagarkot road.

Other mayors also voiced concerns about the security environment following the Gen-Z movement and sought support for the effective operation of local government offices.

Prime Minister Karki stated that her immediate focus is on preparing for the elections and assured the delegation that their concerns would be addressed to the extent possible.