March 6, 2026, 3:35 p.mMarch 6, 2026, 3:35 p.m
The party of the former mayor of Kathmandu, Balendra Shah, is in the lead in the counting of votes for the landmark parliamentary election in Nepal.
The centrist RSP (Rastriya Swatantra Party) took the lead in 110 of the 146 constituencies for which official partial results were available by Friday afternoon (local time). Thursday’s vote was the first in the Himalayan nation since deadly unrest six months ago that led to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli and the dissolution of Parliament.
Balendra Shah shows his ID card before casting his vote in the general election in Kathmandu.Image: keystone
Prominent ex-rapper
The relatively young RSP was considered one of three parties that was given the greatest chance of victory. Their 35-year-old frontrunner Balendra Shah aka Belen is a former rapper who had made a name for himself in Nepal’s hip-hop scene since the early 2010s.
Young people in particular in this poverty-stricken country associate him with hope for reforms and a new political beginning. He is also described as populist in the domestic media. Four years ago he won the election as mayor of the capital Kathmandu as an independent candidate. He resigned earlier this year and joined the RSP to run for prime minister.
Supporters of the Rastriya Swatantra Party are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the rapper-politician.Image: keystone
The early election to the lower house, which is the more powerful of the two chambers of parliament, has landmark significance. At the same time, it is seen as a test of the influence of younger voters. A blocking of social media platforms drove tens of thousands of mostly young people from “Generation Z” onto the streets in September. They also denounced widespread corruption and nepotism. More than 70 people died as a result of the unrest. (sda/dpa/fwa)