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Rapper-turned-politician challenges Nepal's political elite
At a campaign rally in Chitwan, Nepal, crowds chanted the name of Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old former rapper now vying for prime minister. The event pulsed with an AI-generated campaign anthem declaring, "Time's up, fake leaders. Game over."
From mayor to prime ministerial candidate
Shah, known as "Balen," is running for Nepal's highest office after serving just three years as mayor of Kathmandu. His party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), placed fourth in the 2022 general election but gained momentum following deadly anti-corruption protests last September that forced then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.
"We don't want the same old parties to rule our country," said 20-year-old supporter Ispa Sapkota at the rally. "We protested because we wanted change."
A generational shift in Nepalese politics
For over three decades, Nepal's government has been dominated by fragile coalitions led by three major parties: the Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN UML), the Nepali Communist Party (Maoist Centre), and the centrist Nepali Congress. No government has completed a full term in office in recent history.
"People are tired of the same old faces. They want to see a generational contest between Gen Z and the older politicians from the 1990s."
Nishchal N Pandey, Director, Centre for South Asian Studies
This election includes over 915,000 first-time voters out of nearly 19 million eligible citizens. Shah's campaign focuses on economic issues, particularly youth unemployment, which stands at 20.6%-among the highest in South Asia, according to the World Bank.
Protests and promises: The road to the election
The anti-corruption protests began over a social media ban but escalated into demonstrations against corruption and lack of opportunities for young Nepalis. Seventy-seven people died, many shot by police during clashes.
"Our [former] prime minister KP Sharma Oli could have stopped it, but he didn't," said 18-year-old Nandav Yadav, a protest participant. "That's why we're supporting Balen Shah today."
Shah has largely avoided traditional media, preferring to communicate through social media. When approached by reporters at the rally, he left without comment, surrounded by police and aides.
Critics argue this strategy shields him from scrutiny over his record as mayor, where he faced accusations of heavy-handed policing against street vendors during efforts to clear Kathmandu's roads.
Oli's campaign: Defending a political legacy
Shah is challenging Oli directly in Jhapa-5, a constituency long considered a safe seat for the former prime minister. Oli's rallies draw crowds, with supporters handing him their children to hold-a stark contrast to the youth-driven energy of Shah's campaign.
Asked about the protests and violence under his leadership, Oli stated his party "wants to understand the feelings of the new generation" and pledged to focus on "sovereignty, peace, and democracy."
Political analyst Pandey noted Oli's confidence in his party's grassroots network, despite the protests. "He feels the protests were an international conspiracy to oust him," Pandey said.
Oli's supporters echo this sentiment. "We think it was designed by other people, not the public of Nepal," said 40-year-old Sushil Karki. Another backer, 82-year-old Narad Prashad Luitel, urged Oli to complete his infrastructure projects, saying, "Someone else shouldn't be allowed to come in and do the work he has been doing."
A test for Nepal's political future
Thursday's election follows a pattern seen in Bangladesh, where youth-led protests toppled a government. A victory for Shah would mark a seismic shift in Nepal's politics, ending decades of communist-led coalitions and bringing an untested generation to power.
The vote will determine whether young Nepalis have convinced the broader electorate that the country's future lies in new leadership-or if the old guard will retain its grip on power.
