From Stage To Top Office: Former Mayor Balen Shah Eyes PM Seat In Nepal Elections

Last Updated:March 06, 2026, 13:06 IST

The election is Nepal’s first nationwide vote since the September 2025 Gen Z-led protests that forced the resignation of Oli’s government after weeks of unrest.

Balendra Shah, the former Kathmandu mayor, who will turn 36 next month, is contesting the parliamentary elections from Jhapa-5 against KP Sharma Oli, 74, the four-time former prime minister who resigned five months ago following youth-led protests that left 77 people dead.

Balen is contesting the elections from the Gen-Z backed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). The election is Nepal’s first nationwide vote since the September 2025 Gen Z-led protests that forced the resignation of Oli’s government after weeks of unrest. Counting began late Thursday night and is expected to continue through Friday.

When Balen takes the stage, his supporters often mirror his look, wearing black shirts and dark sunglasses. He rarely removes his own shades, but when he does, he tells the crowd, “Look at me. I love you."

Who Is Balen Shah? Engineer, Rapper Or Mayor

Balen was born in Kathmandu, the youngest of four siblings. His father, Ram Narayan Shah, a government Ayurveda practitioner who passed away last December, described him as “bright and simple," a child who wrote poems—a passion he kept into adulthood.

Balen studied civil engineering in Kathmandu and later completed postgraduate studies in structural engineering in India, with an early life marked more by discipline than disruption.

In 2013, Balen made his mark on Raw Barz, Nepal’s premier rap battle stage, and emerged victorious. His lyrics were sharp and uncompromising, critiquing corruption, political stagnation, and the concentration of power. “More than a rapper, he was a poet," one organiser said. “He spoke for the oppressed."

In 2022, running as an independent, Balen won the Kathmandu mayoralty with 61,767 votes, defeating nominees from established parties.

Balen’s music reached far beyond the underground. On a Discord forum last September, where young protesters debated leadership after Oli’s resignation, his name appeared over 16,000 times, making him the most discussed figure.

Many Gen Z activists viewed him as their preferred successor, though he declined and publicly endorsed former Supreme Court chief justice Sushila Karki. Balen largely built his following online, amassing millions of followers across social media platforms.

The September 2025 protests reshaped Nepal’s political landscape. Young Nepalis took to the streets over unemployment, corruption, and perceived impunity, prompting Oli’s resignation. While Balen did not formally lead the demonstrations, he became closely associated with their spirit and message.

RSP Leads In Early Trends

Vote counting began across Nepal on Friday after a high-stakes parliamentary election that could decide whether former PM Oli makes a political comeback following last year’s youth-led uprising.

Early trends showed the Gen-Z backed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leading in 23 seats, while the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), led by Oli, were ahead in three seats each, according to preliminary figures, news agency PTI reported.

Thursday’s voting was largely peaceful, with roughly 60% turnout. Over 19 million registered voters were eligible to elect 165 members directly to the House of Representatives.

News world From Stage To Top Office: Former Mayor Balen Shah Eyes PM Seat In Nepal Elections

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