Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah has issued a strong warning after his personal photo was made public on national television. He expressed deep dissatisfaction, saying the photo was intended to harm his character and hinted at taking legal action against Ward-17 chair and KMC spokesperson Naveen Manandhar.
The tension surfaced during a two-hour discussion on Wednesday at the National Assembly Hall. Present were Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol, Manandhar, Ward-32 chair Navaraj Parajuli, and Ward-15 chair Ishwar Man Dangol. During the talk, Balen directly questioned Manandhar about showing the photo on a TV show, suggesting it could lead to legal steps.
Sources say Balen was particularly upset, warning, “If you go on television and try to provoke confrontation by showing my personal photo, we can settle this legally.” The photo in question, shown by Manandhar on Yoho Television on April 8, showed Balen in a white bathrobe with a woman—something Manandhar claimed he received from someone.
The image went viral quickly, prompting strong online reactions. Balen’s office then sent a letter to Manandhar, asking for a written apology and an official admission of fault. Meanwhile, Balen’s wife Sabina Kafle responded with sarcasm—sharing more photos from that same day and joking about releasing “more content” if people wanted.
This incident is part of growing internal disputes inside the Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Tensions between Balen and other elected officials have delayed the city’s executive meetings for months. Even with the new fiscal year approaching, key policies and programs have yet to be discussed.
Despite the drama, Wednesday’s meeting was seen as a step toward progress. Officials suggested that the executive meeting may finally resume, possibly easing the internal conflict that has paralyzed KMC’s governance.
