Morning arrives slowly in the Kathmandu Valley. The first light drifts down from the Himalayas, touching temple roofs and narrow streets where the sound of motorcycles mixes with bells from distant shrines. For years, the rhythms of politics here have felt steady and familiar—leaders returning again and again, parties trading power while the country’s young people watched and waited.
Yet sometimes the rhythm changes.
In Nepal’s latest parliamentary election, a newly formed political movement led by former rapper Balendra Shah, widely known as “Balen,” appears headed for a sweeping victory. His party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, has surged far ahead of the country’s long-dominant political forces in early vote counts.
Partial results released by Nepal’s Election Commission show the party winning more than half of the directly elected seats in the lower house of parliament and leading in many others. If the trend holds through the final count, the party could secure a commanding position in the 275-seat House of Representatives and potentially form the next government.
The moment marks an extraordinary rise for Shah, a 35-year-old engineer who first gained national attention through his rap music, which often criticized corruption and political stagnation. In 2022 he was elected mayor of Kathmandu, a victory that transformed him from cultural figure to political force.
His ascent accelerated during the youth-driven protests that shook Nepal in 2025. The demonstrations began after the government attempted to ban social media platforms but quickly grew into a broader uprising against corruption, unemployment, and entrenched political elites. Clashes between protesters and security forces left dozens dead and eventually forced the resignation of then-Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.
For many voters, the election became a moment of generational change.
Nepal’s traditional parties—the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)—have alternated in power for decades. Their dominance had come to symbolize, for many citizens, a political system resistant to reform. Shah’s party campaigned on promises of transparency, economic modernization, and stronger public services in areas such as education and health care.
Across the country, supporters celebrated early results with garlands, scarves, and the red vermilion powder often used during festive occasions. Party leaders, however, urged restraint, asking supporters to remember the lives lost during the protests that preceded the election.
Nepal’s electoral system combines direct constituency races with proportional representation seats, meaning final results may take several days to fully confirm. But early counts show the Rastriya Swatantra Party leading not only in constituency seats but also in the national party vote.
If confirmed, the result would represent one of the most dramatic political shifts in Nepal’s modern history.
Final election results are expected later in the week. Balendra Shah, the former rapper turned mayor and now prime ministerial candidate, is widely expected to lead the country’s next government if the current vote trends hold.
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