Nepal’s early vote count puts ex-rapper’s party ahead

Nepal’s early vote count puts ex-rapper’s party ahead

As early results from Nepal’s general election emerged on Friday, Balendra Shah’s political party emerged as a dominant force, surpassing other contenders. The 35-year-old former mayor of Kathmandu, who transitioned from music to public service, has been a central figure in the race for the nation’s top leadership. His centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party, established three years ago, appeared to secure 37 parliamentary seats, while K P Sharma Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist – UML) held three. The Nepali Congress, led by 49-year-old Gagan Thapa, the country’s oldest political party, was in contention for five seats.

Shah’s campaign has resonated strongly with Nepal’s youthful electorate, drawing massive support through grassroots engagement and online presence. Despite facing off against Oli, the 74-year-old former prime minister, on his home ground in the Jhapa 5 constituency near the Indian border, Shah’s influence seems to be growing. This surge in popularity follows a period of intense political upheaval, with the nation grappling with instability for decades.

The long-festering malaise erupted into street demonstrations last September, triggered by a social media ban, bringing thousands onto the streets and leading to clashes and fatalities that forced Oli’s resignation.

With 275 seats in the lower house of parliament, 165 of which were contested via direct voting, the final tally is expected to be finalized by Friday evening or Saturday. The remaining 110 seats will be allocated through proportional representation, a system that has sparked ongoing debates about fairness in the political landscape. Nepal, a country of 30 million people situated between China and India, has long struggled with systemic challenges, including a faltering agrarian economy and rising unemployment, exacerbated by widespread corruption.