Rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah has joined forces with Rabi Lamichhane ahead of parliamentary elections.
According to Reuters, the two popular leaders of Nepal have formed an alliance ahead of March parliamentary elections.
Following the alliance, analysts on Monday, December 29, suggested that this new partnership has the potential to challenge the older parties that have been dominating Nepal’s politics for more than three decades.
The party officials announced that the former rapper and Kathmandu mayor who is also known as Balen joined former TV host-turned-politician Lamichhane’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) on Sunday.
As per the agreement with the national independent party, Balen will be the candidate for the prime minister if they win elections, while Lamichhane will remain RSP chief.
Notably, both of the politicians have promised to address Gen Z demands made during the youth-led protest against corruption in September, leading to Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's resignation.
77 people were killed in the widespread violent protest.
Analyst Bipin Adhikari said, “It is a very smart and strategic move by the RSP to bring in Balen and his young supporters into its fold. Traditional political parties are in pain for fear of losing their young voters to RSP.”
The election commission of the country has said that nearly 19 million of the people from the 30 million population are eligible to cast votes in the upcoming elections, adding that nearly one million youth voters were added after the protests.
Nepal’s parliamentary elections are all set to take place on March 5, 2026.
