By Karmrath News Desk
Kathmandu, Nepal: Gen-Z’s favourite, Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, the rapper-turned-politician who rose to prominence as the mayor of Kathmandu, is now set to become Nepal’s youngest prime minister. The 35-year-old leader has emerged as one of the most influential figures in the country’s shifting political landscape after defeating former prime minister KP Sharma Oli in Jhapa Constituency-5 during the March 5 general election.
Official results released by the Office of the Returning Officer show Shah securing 68,348 votes, while Oli received 18,734 votes, leaving a gap of 49,614 votes between the two candidates.
Samir Tamang of the Shram Sanskriti Party placed third with 9,233 votes. Mandhara Chimariya of the Nepali Congress received 1,821 votes, and Laxmi Prasad Sangraula of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party secured 1,536 votes.
Jhapa-5 had 163,379 registered voters, of whom 106,568 participated in the election, reflecting strong voter turnout in a contest that drew nationwide attention.
The outcome marks a significant political moment, with Oli, a two-time prime minister and long-time leader of the CPN-UML, losing in his own political stronghold. Shah, widely known as Balen, built his campaign around an anti-establishment message and gained momentum from the wave of youth-driven political activism that emerged in Nepal last September.
Shah had chosen to contest from Jhapa-5 specifically against Oli, turning the constituency into one of the most closely watched races of the election.
Who is Balen Shah?
Balendra “Balen” Shah was born on April 27, 1990, in Kathmandu and is the youngest among four siblings. His father, Ram Narayan Shah, who passed away in December, worked as an ayurveda practitioner in the government health system.
Shah studied civil engineering at Himalayan Whitehouse International College in Kathmandu and later completed a postgraduate degree in structural engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) in Karnataka, India.
In 2013, he gained public attention after winning Raw Barz, a popular Nepali rap battle competition where contestants compete through live rap performances.
He entered electoral politics in 2021, announcing his candidacy for the Kathmandu mayoral election after preparing for the campaign for nearly two years. Shah won the race with 61,767 votes, defeating candidates from the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), who received 38,341 and 38,117 votes respectively. As mayor, he lived in official government accommodation in central Kathmandu with his wife and their infant daughter.
During the campaign for the March 5 election in Jhapa-5, Shah also faced scrutiny after he was seen driving a Land Rover Defender valued at around 40 million Nepali rupees (about $275,000).
The appearance of the luxury vehicle attracted criticism, particularly given Shah’s strong anti-corruption image. Questions were raised about the ownership and use of the car, and critics pointed out that he rarely used public transport during his time as mayor despite advocating modesty in public office. It was later clarified that the vehicle had been provided by a wealthy businessman for use during the campaign.
Shah is currently pursuing a PhD in traditional infrastructure at Kathmandu University. Shah is widely known for his music. His rap songs, often critical of political parties, corruption, and systemic impunity, have resonated strongly with younger audiences.
One of his songs, “Nepal Haseko” (Nepal Smiling), became widely associated with last year’s Gen Z protests and has crossed 10 million views on YouTube. Another track, “Balidan” (Sacrifice), which focuses on corruption and accountability, has recorded over 14 million views on the platform.