Who is Balendra Shah? Vote counting is underway in Nepal following the country’s first general elections since last year’s mass protests that led to the fall of the government led by Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli. The protests were led by the Gen Z of the country.
Voting for the elections was held on Thursday, with authorities reporting a voter turnout of around 60 per cent. Early trends from the counting process indicate a strong performance by a relatively new political force led by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah.
Balendra Shah-Led Rastriya Swatantra Party Emerges as Early Front-Runner
According to the latest trends, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by Balendra Shah, is leading in more than 20 seats. Reports from the country’s election commission indicate that the party is ahead in over 30 constituencies.
The RSP was formed in 2022 and has gained notable momentum during the election campaign. Shah, a former mayor of Kathmandu, is widely viewed as a strong contender for the post of prime minister if his party secures enough support.
The elections have seen competition among several major political parties, including the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML) led by Oli, the Nepali Congress headed by Sher Bahadur Deuba, and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
The Nepali Congress has projected its president Gagan Thapa as the party’s prime ministerial candidate, while the CPN-UML has once again put forward Oli as its face for the top post.
Both the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML were part of the government that was toppled following last year’s youth-led protests.
Who Is Balendra Shah?
Born in 1990 in Kathmandu, Balendra Shah studied civil engineering in Nepal before pursuing a master’s degree in structural engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University in India, according to reports.
Before entering mainstream politics, Shah was an active figure in Nepal’s hip-hop scene, working as a rapper and lyricist. His music frequently addressed social issues such as inequality and corruption.
In 2022, he contested the Kathmandu mayoral election as an independent candidate and secured a decisive victory with more than 61,000 votes.
Now 35, Shah has capitalised on growing public frustration with traditional political parties. During his election campaign, he emphasised improving access to health and education for poorer sections of Nepali society.
The former mayor of Kathmandu is often seen on Instagram and at public events wearing a dark blazer and sunglasses.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
