Nepal’s former rapper to run for PM in key vote after Gen Z protests

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Balendra Shah, 35, a former rapper and composer who currently serves as the mayor of Kathmandu,popularly known as \Balen\, attends Indra Jatra festival at Kathmandu Durbar Square in Kathmandu, Nepal, September 6, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer

KATHMANDU, Dec 29 - Two popular leaders have formed an alliance ahead of March parliamentary elections in Nepal that will challenge the older parties which have dominated the Himalayan nations politics for over three decades, party officials and analysts said on Monday.

Rapper turned-Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, known as Balen, a popular elected official, joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) or national independent party, led by a former TV host-turned politician Rabi Lamichhane on Sunday, party officials said.

They said under the agreement with RSP, 35-year old Balen will become the prime minister if the RSP wins the March 5 elections while Lamichhane will remain the party chief.

Both have vowed to address the demands raised during the Gen Z or youth-led protests against widespread corruption in September in which 77 people were killed and led to Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigning.

“It is a very smart and strategic move by the RSP to bring in Balen and his young supporters into its fold,” analyst Bipin Adhikari said.

“Traditional political parties are in pain for fear of losing their young voters to RSP,” he said.

The election commission says nearly 19 million of Nepal’s 30 million people are eligible to vote in the elections. Nearly one million