Former rapper Balendra Shah will run for the post of Nepal’s prime minister in the parliamentary elections set for April 5, 2026. This was reported by kursiv.uz citing Reuters.reports.
Shah has joined the National Independent Party (RSP). The party is led by Rabi Lamichhane, previously known as a TV host. If the RSP wins the election, Balendra Shah is expected to head the government.
According to analyst Bipin Adhikari, the RSP’s move to bring Balendra Shah and his young supporters to its side was a “smart and strategic step” for the party. The expert believes that the old parties that have long dominated the political arena fear losing young voters, who may support a new political force.
Previously, Nepal’s politics for nearly 30 years were dominated by the Communist Party of Nepal and the centrist Nepali Congress. According to Nepal’s Election Commission, in a country of 30 million people, 11 million citizens are eligible to vote in parliamentary elections.
Reuters notes that during the mass protests that began in September 2025, Balendra Shah was seen as an informal leader among young people and also helped facilitate the formation of an interim government. The main demands of those protests were fighting corruption and lifting restrictions on the use of social media. Ultimately, the government led by Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli resigned.
Balendra Shah was born on April 27, 1990, in Nepal. He became known as a rapper under the stage name Balen, later studied civil engineering and entered public life. In 2022, he won an election as an independent candidate and became mayor of Kathmandu.
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