Nepali rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s centrist party heads for landslide election win

Kathmandu - Nepal’s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) led by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah has secured a majority in direct parliamentary elections, and is heading for a landslide win.

The 35-year-old’s party is also leading in the proportional representation vote, according to results declared and election commission trends.

The vote was the first since deadly youth-led anti-corruption protests in September 2025 toppled the government.

Mr Shah himself on March 7 won the seat held by veteran four-time prime minister K. P. Sharma Oli – whose Marxist-led government was ousted in the violence in 2025.

His victory over the 74-year-old and his rise from the capital’s mayor to potential prime minister marks one of the most dramatic results in recent Nepali politics.

The September 2025 youth-led demonstrations, under a loose Gen-Z banner, began over a brief social media ban but quickly tapped into broader grievances over corruption and a struggling economy.

The elections on March 5 chose a new 275-member House of Representatives, the Lower House of Parliament, with 165 seats chosen directly, and 110 by a proportional representation vote.

Poll monitors The Asian Network for Free Elections on March 8 said voting was “peaceful and orderly and reflected continued public engagement with democratic processes despite recent political instability”.

‘Necessary action’

On the afternoon of March 8, 153 of the direct elections had been declared: RSP dominated with 117, the Nepali Congress had 17, and the Marxists of now-defeated Mr Oli trailed with seven.

Former Maoist guerrilla commander Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a three-time prime minister, won his seat, with his party holding seven in total.

Trends showed the RSP also leading in eight of the remaining 12 constituencies in the direct elections.

In the proportional representation vote, RSP was leading with nearly half of the counted votes – but final results could take several more days.

Nepali Congress, the largest party in the past coalition government, also saw its new leader Gagan Thapa defeated by RSP.

Election Commission spokesman Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said: “Counting is moving forward smoothly in all remaining constituencies.

“Results of all direct votes are expected by end of today; the proportional representation votes will take a few days more.”

Mr Shah, a first-time parliamentary lawmaker, toured the streets of his new constituency on the evening of March 7, wearing his signature dark sunglasses and waving from the sunroof of a car in a victory parade through cheering crowds, who chanted “Balen” – as he is better known.

Mr Shah, who did not make a speech, won over three times more votes than Mr Oli, who congratulated the winner and wished him “a smooth and successful five-year tenure”.

Nepal’s government-formed investigation commission to probe the deadly September 2025 violence also submitted its report on March 8.

No one has been held accountable for the deaths, so far.

The commission’s findings have not yet been made public, but the report was handed to interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki.

Commission member Bigyan Raj Sharma told reporters that the team had questioned more than 200 people, and had submitted a 900-page report – with more than 8,000 additional pages.

“We tried to conduct fact-finding for Sept 8 and 9,” he said.

“Based on what we saw, understood and verified through the evidence, we have provided our opinions and recommendations. This is now the government’s property, and the government will take the necessary action.”

Mr Oli has denied ordering security forces to open fire on protesters, and said he blames “infiltrators” for the violence. AFP