Senior leader of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Balendra Shah was seen wearing a 'Silam Sakma' badge on his coat collar when he appeared for the oath-taking ceremony for the newly-elected members of the House of Representatives in the Parliament Building in Singha Durbar today.
The 'Silam Sakma' is the cultural symbol of the Kirat people and it is taken as a talisman. In the Kirati language, 'Si' means death and 'Lam' means way. It is believed that wearing a Silam Sakma blocks the path to death. It also signifies an auspicious omen and is particularly regarded as a protective amulet.
Leader Balen sat in the first row in the meeting hall. As the proposed Prime Minister by his party, RSP, to his right was seated party president Rabi Lamichhane, and to his left were Vice Presidents DP Aryal and Dr Swarnim Wagle.
Padma Prasad Pandeya, General Secretary of the Federal Parliament, welcomed the newly elected MPs participating in the oath-taking ceremony.
Senior-most member of parliament, Arjun Narasingha KC, who was presiding over the meeting, administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new MPs.
Immediately after the oath-taking ceremony, senior leader Shah drove himself out of the parliament building premises.
RSP has proposed Shah, elected from Jhapa Constituency 5, as Prime Minister. The party is preparing to select leader Shah as its parliamentary party (PP) leader. The party has called a meeting this afternoon for that purpose.
RSP has become the largest party in parliament winning 182 seats in the House of Representatives member election held on March 5.
In the local level elections of 2022, Shah was elected as the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City as an independent candidate and is popular among the youth. He is a structural engineer by profession and is also known as a popular rapper.
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