NEW DELHI: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s party, RSP, is on course for a historic landslide in Nepal’s first general elections since the Gen Z protests, toppling decades of dominance by the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal–Unified Marxist–Leninist).
Shah, 35, a former mayor of Kathmandu, joined the three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in January as its prime ministerial candidate.
Early counting trends from the Election Commission, covering 144 of 165 constituencies, show the RSP has already won three seats and is leading in 104 others. By contrast, the Nepali Congress has secured two seats and leads in 12, while the CPN-UML leads in 10 constituencies.
In its manifesto, Shah’s RSP promised bold economic and social reforms, pledging to create 1.2 million jobs, curb forced migration, and double Nepal’s per capita income from $1,447 to $3,000 within five years. The party also vowed to expand the national GDP to $100 billion and provide universal healthcare insurance.
Analysts caution that much of Shah’s success will depend on the team he surrounds himself with to tackle a corruption-prone bureaucracy and the aspirations of young voters who backed change.
Shah, popularly known as ‘Balen’, owes part of his appeal to a strong social media presence, boasting more than 3.5 million followers, allowing him to engage directly with younger voters who spearheaded the anti-corruption, pro-reform protests last year. His track record as Kathmandu mayor, including improvements in urban infrastructure, waste management and healthcare delivery, appears to have bolstered his popularity.
The RSP’s dominance is evident in Kathmandu, where it leads in all 10 constituencies. Shah was leading in Jhapa-5 against four-time prime minister KP Sharma Oli, securing 6,551 votes to Oli’s 1,428. Other RSP victories include Ranju Darshana in Kathmandu-1 with 15,455 votes.
Voter turnout reached approximately 60%, reflecting strong engagement in a politically fragile nation that has seen 14 governments in 18 years.
India, closely monitoring the election, welcomed the prospect of a stable government. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We look forward to working with the new Government of Nepal to further build on the robust multifaceted ties between our two countries and peoples for mutual benefit.”
With the RSP surging ahead, Nepal appears poised for generational change at the national level, signalling a potential shift in the country’s political landscape after decades of entrenched party rule.