What happens when a rapper steps into politics—and actually beats a former prime minister?
In Nepal, that question just turned into political reality.
Balendra Shah—better known to fans as Balen—has pulled off a stunning victory over former prime minister KP Sharma Oli in his own parliamentary constituency.
According to the Election Commission of Nepal, Shah secured 68,348 votes, far ahead of Oli’s 18,734.
The election, held Thursday, was the first since massive youth-led protests in September that toppled the government.
Those demonstrations—driven largely by Gen Z anger over social media bans and inequality—left 77 people dead and shook the country’s political establishment.
Now the momentum appears to be shifting. Shah’s party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, is leading in both direct seats and proportional vote counts.
Raising the possibility of a landslide victory.
Youth Reshaping Politics
For decades, Nepal’s politics has been dominated by a handful of traditional parties.
But with 800,000 first-time voters, young people are rewriting the script.
Shah, a familiar face in Nepal’s hip-hop scene—his song Balidan has millions of views—ran on promises of 1.2 million new jobs, higher incomes, and stronger social protections.
“I will be the candidate for all of Nepal,” he told the Financial Times during his campaign.
So is this just a viral political moment—or the start of a generational power shift?
Either way, Nepal’s playlist of politics just got a brand-new track.
