From Rap to Power: Balendra Shah Topples Nepal Ex-PM
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Rapper Balendra Shah has defeated former Nepal Prime Minister Sharma KP Oli in his parliamentary constituency, moving one step closer to becoming Nepal's next Prime Minister.
Nepal's Election Commission confirmed on Saturday that 35-year-old Shah received 68,348 votes, while Oli received 18,734, ousting the former leader from his constituency.
Thursday's general election—the first since the government was toppled in September following violent youth-led protests—pitted the incumbent government against a new generation of leaders who are appealing to angry, young, Gen Z voters, hungry for change.
Shah's Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) now appears to be on track to win the general election.
According to some official results released on Sunday, the party has secured a majority of the directly elected seats in the general election so far, and official trends suggest it could be headed for a landslide victory.
According to the Election Commission, 35-year-old Shah is also leading in the proportional representation vote count so far.
For over two decades, Nepal has seen a series of coalition governments, mostly dominated by three parties, two of which are communist.
Before this election, it seemed like it would be a test of whether Gen Z voters had succeeded in convincing the rest of the country that it was time for a new, fresh generation to take charge, or whether the old guard – who had dominated for decades – would continue to hold on to power.
The country's youth included 800,000 first-time voters, making them a significant voter group.
Shah, known as Baleen, has been a member of the Nepali hip hop scene for many years; his song, "Balidan," about sacrifice in the Nepali language, has garnered millions of views on YouTube.
In September 2025, Nepal erupted in unrest with so-called Gen Z protests after Oli banned social media platforms. The protests escalated when protesters criticized Nepal's political system and the "Nepo Babies"—the children of the country's leaders, a symbol of class inequality.
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A total of 77 people were killed during the protests, and a investigation revealed that the country's police chief ordered lethal firing on thousands of unarmed protesters.
Shah spoke out in support of the protesters and once called Oli a "terrorist" who had betrayed his country.
The rapper usually stays away from the media, but during the campaign, he told the Financial Times that he would be "the candidate for the whole of Nepal."
Shah's RSP released its manifesto in February, promising to create 1.2 million jobs and reduce forced migration, capitalizing on the desperation caused by unemployment and low wages that have driven millions of Nepalis abroad.
The party also promised to raise Nepal's per capita income from $1,447 to $3,000 within five years, more than doubling the country's economy to $100 billion GDP, and provide safety nets like healthcare insurance.
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