Nepal's Home Minister Sudan Gurung resigned after acknowledging questions about his investments, becoming the second minister to leave Prime Minister Balendra Shah's month-old government. Gurung announced his decision on Facebook, saying public trust and ethics outweighed holding office. He had previously ordered the arrest of former PM K.P. Sharma Oli in a probe into last September's Gen Z protest crackdown. The prime minister will temporarily oversee the home ministry.
Nepal Home Minister Sudan Gurung Resigns Amid Investment Questions — Second Cabinet Exit For New Government
FILE PHOTO: Newly appointed Home Minister Sudan Gurung poses for a picture after taking oath at "Shital Niwas", the presidential building in Kathmandu, Nepal, March 27, 2026. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar/File Photo
By Gopal Sharma
Kathmandu, April 22 — Sudan Gurung, Nepal's Minister of Home Affairs, resigned on Wednesday after acknowledging public questions about his investments and other matters, becoming the second minister to leave Prime Minister Balendra Shah's month-old administration.
Resignation and Rationale
The 38-year-old posted his decision on Facebook, saying the issues should be investigated but offering few specifics. "For me, ethics is greater than position, and there is no greater power than public trust," Gurung wrote, adding that recent scrutiny over his shares and related concerns prompted his decision to step down.
High-Profile Actions and Fallout
Gurung had attracted national attention earlier after ordering the arrest of former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and his home minister, Ramesh Lekhak, as part of an inquiry into their roles in the crackdown on Gen Z protests last September. The move put Gurung at the centre of politically sensitive investigations and public debate.
Temporary Leadership and Political Context
Dipa Dahal, an aide to Prime Minister Balendra Shah, told Reuters that "Gurung has handed his resignation to the prime minister, who will look after the home ministry for now." Shah, a 35-year-old former rapper who led the three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party to unexpected success in last month’s parliamentary elections, ran on promises to fight corruption, boost transparency and improve governance.
Shah has already taken a hard line on perceived abuses of office: earlier this month he dismissed his labour minister after the party found that Dipak Kumar Sah had used "the dignity of his position" to help secure his wife's appointment to the Health Insurance Board's board of directors.
What This Means
Gurung's resignation underscores the political volatility facing Shah's new government as it seeks to deliver on anti-corruption pledges while navigating high-stakes investigations and public scrutiny.
(Reporting by Gopal Sharma)
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