Kathmandu, Dec. 28 -- The Rastriya Swatantra Party and Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah have reached what they describe as a "broad unity" in a major political realignment ahead of the upcoming House of Representatives elections.

Under the agreement finalised early Sunday, Rastriya Swatantra Party chair Rabi Lamichhane will continue as the party's central chairman, while Shah will be presented as the party's parliamentary leader after the elections and its prime ministerial candidate.

The two sides had been in talks on cooperation and unity for an extended period. Discussions intensified from last Monday, with Lamichhane and Shah holding a series of formal and informal meetings. The agreement followed detailed deliberatio...