Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah is on course to become Nepal’s next prime minister after his centrist party secured a commanding lead in the country’s parliamentary elections.
With just two percent of votes left to be counted on Wednesday, Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) had already won a majority in the 275-member House of Representatives of Nepal, marking one of the most dramatic political shifts in the country’s recent history.
The March 5 vote was the first national election since youth-led anti-corruption protests last September toppled the government in a wave of demonstrations that left several people dead and reshaped Nepal’s political landscape.
At just 35, Shah’s rapid ascent—from mayor of the capital to the verge of becoming prime minister—has captured national attention and symbolised growing voter frustration with traditional political elites.
In a symbolic victory, Shah defeated veteran politician KP Sharma Oli in his own constituency. Oli, a four-time prime minister whose Marxist-led administration was forced from power during last year’s unrest, had been a dominant figure in Nepali politics for years.
Official results show that RSP performed strongly in direct elections, winning 125 of the 165 constituencies contested under the first-past-the-post system.
The remaining 110 seats in parliament are allocated through proportional representation. According to early tallies, RSP has also secured the largest share of ballots in this category, with nearly half of all votes counted so far and just over 200,000 ballots still to be processed.
“We are close to finishing the counting now,” said Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, speaking to AFP. “We will have the final number of PR seats soon.”
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If the current trend holds, analysts say RSP could secure around 176 seats in total—comfortably above a simple majority but slightly below the 183 seats required for a two-thirds supermajority.
The final distribution of proportional representation seats may still shift slightly, depending on how votes for smaller parties that fail to meet the threshold are calculated.
Despite the decisive electoral victory, constitutional procedures mean it could still take more than a week before a new prime minister is formally appointed.
According to constitutional law expert Bipin Adhikari, the Election Commission of Nepal must first submit the final results to the country’s president.
“Once the commission submits its report to the president, he will call on RSP lawmakers to name the prime ministerial candidate,” Adhikari explained. “Only after that will his appointment take place.”
The election also delivered heavy losses for established political parties. The Nepali Congress, which held the largest bloc in the previous parliament, secured only 18 seats in direct voting, while the Marxist party led by Oli won just nine.
Meanwhile, Shah’s unconventional political style has helped energise younger voters. Videos circulating widely on social media show supporters mimicking his signature dance moves during campaign rallies and election celebrations.
For many observers, the result reflects a broader generational shift in Nepal’s politics—one driven by public frustration with corruption and a desire for new leadership following months of political turmoil.