Aagya Khabar,
Bardibas
Generally, many elected representatives tend to remain confined to their offices, signing files, delivering speeches from event stages, or limiting themselves to formal meetings. However, Mayor Prahlad Kumar Kshetri of Bardibas Municipality has proven to be an exception in Madhesh Province. He is known not just as the mayor but as a “door-to-door mayor,” who visits people’s homes, sits in their courtyards, listens to their problems, and seeks solutions.
At the core of Kshetri’s leadership style lies direct communication with the people. From early in the morning, he visits different neighborhoods of the municipality as needed, greeting local residents with a handshake and engaging them in casual conversations rather than formal speeches. He asks questions like: Has the water tap dried up? Are there potholes in the road? Are teachers present in the schools?—always wanting to hear the answers directly from the people.
His visits are not tied to fairs or election campaigns; even on ordinary days, Kshetri’s “door-to-door campaign” continues as part of a process to hear public grievances and find solutions. The problems he hears are not easily forgotten. His approach—calling the relevant department head or ward chairperson immediately, or directly taking action himself—has built trust among the townspeople.
One major criticism of many elected representatives in Bardibas has been their growing distance from the people. But Mayor Kshetri has a very different nature—he considers public criticism and media scrutiny as valuable assets. His style of knocking on residents’ doors has given people the confidence that, “We don’t have to run to the municipal office for every big reason—if needed, the mayor himself will call and come.” This trust has led to notable public participation in most development, education, health, and sanitation campaigns organized in the municipality.
Challenges and Opportunities
Of course, not every problem can be solved immediately. Limited development budget, high public expectations, busy schedules, and legal procedures are obstacles that Kshetri openly explains to residents. However, because of his transparent communication, hope spreads more than disappointment. This has become the strongest aspect of his leadership.
Mayor Prahlad Kumar Kshetri’s door-to-door leadership style has set an example of bringing local governance closer to the people. If the core belief of leadership is that “the people should not have to run to the government’s door, but the government should reach the people’s door,” then Kshetri has been putting that into practice.
