Nepal.Sounds of an unprecedented upheaval are being heard in the politics of India. Even before the results of the general election held on March 5 were declared, former Kathmandu mayor Balendra (Balen) Shah’s Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has taken a tsunami-like lead in the vote counting. The way the public has marginalized the traditional political parties that have been in power for decades, it is clear that after 36 years in Nepali politics, one party is headed towards getting a huge majority. With this unprecedented victory, Balen Shah is considered almost certain to become the next Prime Minister.
How did your political journey begin?
This journey of Balen Shah has not been easy. In the year 2022, structural engineer Balen Shah, who made his mark in the rap world, surprised everyone when he won the post of Mayor of Kathmandu by defeating the major political parties of Nepal. His election symbol was a stick. He got 61,767 votes in the election. He defeated Nepali Congress’s Kirjan Singh, who received 38,341 votes. At the same time, CPN-UML candidate and former mayor Keshav Sthala got 38,117 votes. Now after four years, 35-year-old Balen Shah is on his way to becoming the youngest Prime Minister of the country. His success did not come suddenly. In the year 2013, he became famous with ‘Raw Barz’ rap battle. Before becoming mayor, he worked on the land for two and a half years. He did engineering from Himalayan White House College and a master’s degree from India. His education and technical understanding won the trust of the public.
Oli’s decades-old dominance ended
Balen’s political strategy has been very well thought out. KP Sharma Oli had resigned after 77 people died in the September protests. At that time the youth asked Balen to lead the interim government. Balen rejected the offer and supported former Chief Justice Sushila Karki. He chose a full term of five years instead of a six-month temporary government. On 18 January 2026, Balen formally joined the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP). He started his election campaign from Janakpur the very next day. He decided to contest elections from Jhapa-05 seat. This area is considered to be the stronghold of veteran leader KP Sharma Oli. Experts believe that Balen’s popularity has ended Oli’s decades-old dominance.
What was the election agenda?
Balen is very active on social media. He has more than 35 lakh followers on Facebook. He speaks directly to the public instead of press conferences. However, he also remained in controversy for his strong statements. He once criticized countries like America, India and China as well as his own party. His supporters see him as an alternative to the old leaders. Balen was born in 1990. His late father Ram Narayan Shah was an Ayurvedic doctor. His death occurred just before Balen Shah’s formal entry into mainstream politics. Along with politics, Balen is also currently pursuing PhD from Kathmandu University. Nepal is now at a new turning point, where the hold of the old leaders seems to be weakening.