Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s party gained leads in early counting in Nepal’s general election, far outpacing his other rivals.
According to TKP, after historic youth-led uprising last September killed 77 people and forced then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician posted a typically terse message to millions of followers on social media.
Shah, popularly known only as Balen, wrote "Dear Gen Z, the resignation of your killer has come. Now your generation will have to lead the country. Be prepared."
Five months on, the musician who cut his political teeth in 2022 when he became the mayor of the capital Kathmandu, is poised to become Nepal's next prime minister following the country's first election since the September uprising.
Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was leading in around 100 seats, far ahead of its main rivals, early counting trends from the election commission showed on Friday.
Out of a total 275 seats in Nepal’s lower house of parliament, counting was in progress for 165 seats that are elected by direct election, while the remaining 110 will follow a system of proportional representation. Final results are expected within days.
The Nepali Congress, currently in second place, has already conceded defeat, and analysts said the RSP's dominant showing means it will likely form the next government.
