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Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a telephone conversation today. 

During the call, the US Secretary of State expressed his condolences over the loss of lives in the recent Bhotekoshi floods and expressed solidarity with the people and the government of Nepal during this difficult time, according to the party source. 

RSP President Lamichhane said the party has extended all possible support to the government's search and rescue operations and the distribution of humanitarian assistance in the affected areas. 

He assured the US Secretary of State that the government is fully committed to ensuring the safety and protection of foreign nationals affected by the disaster. 

He also thanked the US government for its support to Nepal during this difficult time. 

Rubio said the US government is ready to extend further support to the government of Nepal. 

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has shared that security personnel working tirelessly in flood-affected areas would be highly appreciated. 

Sending a message to security personnel deputed in disaster management on Sunday through a social media platform, Prime Minister Shah underlined that the government would not compromise in service, safety and facility of security personnel.

"Millions of people have been feeling safe during the hour of crisis due to your sacrifice, dedication and indomitable courage. This contribution of each security personnel deputed in the field will be highly appreciated," he mentioned.   

PM Shah opined," The government will not compromise on your service, safety and facility. We are grateful to your families for encouraging you to remain on duty during the crisis hour. We also extend special gratitude to experts within home and abroad deputed along with our security personnel for crisis management."

Over 13,300 people have been rescued so far from flood-hit areas from joint efforts of Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, Nepal, as well as security personnel took the injured people to hospital using land route, helicopters as well as other medium as soon as possible, viewed.  

PM Shah underscored that security personnel of three security bodies have been working round the clock to manage bodies with sensitivity, to prevent spread of infectious disease and epidemics in affected areas and to encourage flood-affected people at camps. 

"The geographical territory is difficult. The weather is adverse. But our security personnel are tirelessly working to save maximum lives. You have deeply understood the sufferings of affected people. The number of people asking you to search their missing loved ones is high. So you are working tirelessly in search and rescue operations," he stressed. 

The Prime Minister writes, "We know that you are also in grief for losing your colleagues. Forty-five personnel from Nepal Army, 25 from Nepal Police and 12 from APF Nepal are still missing. You, Nepal Army, Nepal Police and APF Nepal have been involved in crisis management joining hands together." 

“Commanders are instructing the security personnel deployed in the affected areas from their respective headquarters and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority’s command post. They are coordinating as well. The commanders must also be concerned about whether their own security personnel might get into trouble while carrying out search and rescue operations. That is why they are trying to keep the morale of their colleagues in the affected areas high,” said Prime Minister Shah. 

According to the executive head of the country, as soon as the flood occurred, the Nepal Army, following the plan of the Army Headquarters, established a 'Forward Headquarters', 'Emergency Medical Rescue Team', and main 'Forward Air Base' at the Maithil Barrack in Trishuli Battar, Nuwakot, under the leadership of the deputy commander, and rescue operations are ongoing. 

At the Dhunche Barrack in Rasuwa, a 'Tactical Headquarters', a 'Forward Medical Team' with doctors, and an additional 'Air Base' are being operated under the leadership of the assistant commander. 

They are leading rescue efforts in the difficult terrain of the affected area with the help of other security agencies. 

Search and rescue operations are also underway in the tunnel areas of power projects.

In this rescue team, the Armed Police Force, Nepal's Special Search and Rescue Team, and the Nepal Police 'Dog Team' are being deployed. 

Additionally, the army has accelerated the construction of Bailey bridges and road clearing to facilitate immediate movement. 

In Devighat, Nuwakot, the army itself has deployed its engineers to install an Acro bridge. 

Currently, 9,287 army personnel are working in flood-affected areas. 

According to Prime Minister Shah, the Nepal Police have also been active from the beginning on the frontlines for search, rescue, and relief distribution. 

Efforts are being made to get the injured to hospitals as quickly as possible. 

The police are leading in managing the dead. They are continuously providing updates in risky areas and ensuring the safety of citizens. Not only that, but the police are also working hard to maintain law and order in the affected areas. 

Currently, 7,975 police personnel are deployed in the flood-affected regions. 

According to Prime Minister Shah, the Armed Police Force, Nepal is actively deployed in direct search and rescue through special trained divers, rope teams, and other rescue units, even taking risks in the tough terrain and the raging Bhote Koshi–Trishuli rivers for disaster management. 

For this, disaster response posts, field command posts, and 13 disaster response bases were established in the affected areas. 

A drone squad is also being deployed. A canine team has been sent along as well. They are providing medical services in the affected areas and have successfully raised the Nepali flag at the Nepal–China border in the affected region. 

Prime Minister Shah said currently 4,203 Armed Police personnel are deployed in the affected areas. 

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal and his Korean counterpart Cho Hyeon held a meeting on various issues including search, rescue and relief activities after the recent Bhotekoshi flood in Nepal as well as bilateral relations.

During the meeting held at the Foreign Ministry on Sunday, they held serious discussion on the issues concerning search and rescue operations for the people of Korea, who are also missing in the flood, according to the Foreign Ministry. 

On the occasion, Foreign Minister extended gratitude to the Korean government for sending an 'inter-agency rapid response team' and Korea's disaster relief team to help Nepal in search and rescue operations at flood-hit areas as well as humanitarian support and relief materials for flood-affected people.

Saying Nepal has accorded high priority to post-disaster reconstruction, he opined that reconstruction activities would be carried out based on the 'build back better' concept and believed that Nepal would get continuous support from Korea for this task. 

Similarly, the Korean Foreign Minister expressed the Korean government's willingness to provide necessary support for post-disaster reconstruction and resettlement initiatives in Nepal, shared the Foreign Ministry. 

Underlining that there should be historical responsibility of the international community towards the loss of lives and properties as well as damages of infrastructures facing by countries like Nepal due to climate change, the Korean Minister stressed that Nepal and Korea should cooperate to make the world community more sensitive towards the impacts of climate change and subsequent losses. 

He expressed the view that countries like Nepal should jointly flag the voice about challenges and damages they are facing due to climate change in international forums like the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP). 

Korean Minister Cho expressed commitment that Korea would raise their voice on the issue of financial support to be provided by the international community to Nepal for its losses due to climate change. 

On the occasion, both the ministers expressed commitment to continue close cooperation to take bilateral relations to a new height by further strengthening friendly relations, mutual trust, partnership and cooperation.

Nepal and Korea have been collaborating in different sectors including labour, development partnership, trade, investment, technology and people-to-people relations.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah was expected to call an all-party meeting following the deadly flash floods in Rasuwa. He did not. Instead, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane took the initiative and called an all-party meeting to discuss the disaster. 

Lamichhane has similarly taken the lead in political consultations over the floods, holding discussions with the Bagmati chief minister and heads of local governments. The prime minister, meanwhile, has not met senior political leaders on the issue. This is not an isolated instance.

Earlier,following deadly communal violence in Sunsari and other parts of the country. It was Lamichhane—not Shah—who organized an all-party meeting. Shah, by contrast, held discussions with some Madhes-based parties. Another example is: PM Shah addressed Parliament to brief about the flood but he left parliament without speaking with political leaders. Pushpa Kamal Dahal complained of not talking with them.

These developments suggest an emerging division of roles within the government: Shah appears to be concentrating on the administrative and bureaucratic side of governance, while Lamichhane is increasingly taking responsibility for its political affairs. The same pattern appears to be developing in foreign relations. Lamichhane has already visited India and is likely to visit Beijing. 

RSP leaders say Shah maintains a highly structured work routine, reaching his office on time and focusing primarily on government operations. Except for cabinet meetings, he generally meets ministers individually rather than engaging in broader political consultations. Shah’s limited engagement with political activities is not entirely new. From the beginning, he has shown little interest in working closely with politicians. He rarely participates in crucial party meetings, apart from the party’s general convention. His formal position in the party is that of a senior leader, rather than an executive office-holder, meaning he does not exercise executive authority within the party.

Since the election, it has largely been Lamichhane who has reached out to opposition parties and sought their cooperation. Shah has also been reluctant to participate in parliamentary meetings. His supporters argue that this is because the prime minister is focused on the actual work of running the government and does not necessarily need to engage extensively in day-to-day political activities. 

Shah’s background may help explain this style of governance. He is a structural engineer by profession and entered politics after winning the Kathmandu Metropolitan City mayoral election as an independent. His approach to the prime minister's office therefore appears more technocratic and administrative, resembling that of a senior bureaucrat rather than a conventional political leader.

Lamichhane, in contrast, appears to be assuming the role of the government’s political intermediary. He is reaching out to opposition parties, organizing cross-party consultations and seeking political support for government initiatives. There appears to be little indication that Shah objects to Lamichhane taking the political lead.

However, this arrangement also raises an important political question: how effectively are the two leaders coordinating their roles? A government can function with a division between administrative management and political coordination, but only if the two sides are closely aligned.

In this case, opposition parties appear uncertain about whether Lamichhane’s political initiatives fully represent the government’s position, particularly because Shah himself has maintained a relatively low political profile. The emerging picture, therefore, is of a government in which  Balen Shah is increasingly associated with administration and execution, while Rabi Lamichhane is becoming the government’s principal political interlocutor.