Kathmandu — Film producer and television presenter Asif Shah has formally announced his withdrawal from the proportional representation (PR) candidate list of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Shah said that while he maintains a keen interest in politics, he does not consider himself someone who should be actively involved in electoral politics. Announcing his decision to step back from the PR list, he said his commitment to seeing the country progress has always remained strong.
Shah said that those close to him are aware of his efforts to closely assess initiatives aimed at bringing together Balen Shah, Rabi Lamichhane, and Kulman Ghising in line with public aspirations. He noted that these efforts led some of his associates to encourage him to become a Member of Parliament, resulting in his name being included on the proportional representation list.
According to Shah, he had previously stated that if he were to enter politics, he would prefer to contest a direct election and stand alongside the public. However, party colleagues advised that a nationwide election campaign would be necessary and that, under the circumstances, moving forward through the proportional representation system would be more practical. His candidacy was registered accordingly.
Following the public release of the RSP’s proportional representation list, internal disagreements emerged within the party regarding several of the listed candidates. The list also drew criticism from Gen Z campaigners, who expressed dissatisfaction. Shah said these developments prompted him to engage in serious self-reflection.
“Despite having good intentions, it felt that a mistake may have occurred somewhere,” Shah wrote. He said he remains ready to contribute to nation-building in any role or capacity but added that he could not choose a path to Parliament through the proportional representation system if it harmed the sentiments of the public and his party colleagues.
Shah also called on others on the list to withdraw their candidacies and take a step back in line with the sentiments of the party and the public. Asif Shah was listed first under the Muslim cluster on the proportional representation list.
Earlier, singer Trishala Gurung had also announced her withdrawal from the RSP’s proportional representation candidate list.
