Rapper-turned-mayor Balen Shah Spurs Nepal's Reformist Landslide
TL;DR
Nepal’s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party, led by rapper-turned-mayor Balendra “Balen” Shah, appears set for a landslide in the 275-seat House, with about 100 direct-seat wins and leadership in proportional votes, signaling a major anti-establishment shift after last year’s youth-led protests; Shah even defeated veteran PM Oli in his district, campaigning on health and education while benefiting from a large diaspora-funded operation.
Topics:worldpolitics#anti-establishment#balendra-shah#nepal-elections-2026#politics#rsp#youth-uprising
- Rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah’s RSP heads for poll landslide in Nepal Al Jazeera
- Rapper-politician Balendra Shah unseats Nepal's ex-PM as he heads for victory BBC
- A new Nepali party, led by an ex-rapper, is set for a landslide win in parliamentary election NPR
- Nepal’s early vote count puts ex-rapper’s party ahead CNN
- Gen Z-Backed Rapper Is on Course to Lead Nepal With Landslide Win The New York Times
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