US EditionBalendra Shah Challenges Established Parties Ahead of Nepal's National Elections
Balendra Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party leads with early trends showing potential two-thirds majority amid youth voting surge following 2025 protests that toppled government.
- Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician, is leading the national race and drawing strong youth support as millions of Nepalis head to the polls Thursday.
- Last year’s Gen Z protests toppled the government, left 77 dead, and added nearly one million new voters, fueling anti-incumbency support for outsider candidates like Balendra Shah.
- In campaign stops such as Chitwan, Shah’s rallies feature music and chanting, lasting about half an hour with roughly five minutes of remarks, while he uses nationalist symbols like the 'Greater Nepal' map.
- A Shah victory would automatically push K.P. Sharma Oli out of the leadership race, while Nepal’s mixed electoral system makes a single-party majority unlikely, increasing coalition bargaining.
- Developments in Kathmandu are being watched closely by India, China and the United States, while new leaders must manage the $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation compact and Beijing’s expanding engagement.
79 Articles
79 Articles
Associated Press News
Ex-rapper's political party leads early results in Nepal's first election since 2025 youth revolt
Preliminary and partial results show that a new political party led by an ex-rapper is leading Nepal’s parliamentary election, the country’s first since last year’s revolt.
Nepal's Shifting Political Landscape: Balen Shah's Meteoric Rise from Rap Battle Stage to Doorstep of PM's Office
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Balen Shah is poised to become one of Nepal's youngest Prime Ministers as the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leads an electoral landslide. Following the March 5 general election, the 35-year-old engineer is significantly outstripping veteran KP Sharma Oli in Jhapa-05. Backed by Gen-Z, Shah's rise signals a historic dismantling of Nepal's established political "Old Guard." World News | Nepal's…
Rapper Balendra Shah's Political Party Shakes up Nepal's Elections
Rapper Balendra Shah's Political Party Shakes up Nepal's Elections Rapper Balendra Shah's newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is on the cusp of a historic victory in Nepal's general elections, signaling a shift in political power in the nation. The RSP has claimed 18 seats and leads in 99 more, challenging the established parties' dominance.The election outcome is being watched with anticipation by India, which seeks a stable Nepali gove…
Elections: Not the traditional parties, but the new party of a 35-year-old former rapper and former mayor of Kathmandu is expected to win…
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