A RAPPER-turned-politician in Nepal is poised to become the country's next prime minister months after a youth-led uprising forced the resignation of then prime minister KP Sharma Oli.
After the September uprising, which killed 77 people, Balendra Shah posted a message to his followers on social media.
"Dear Gen Z, the resignation of your killer has come," Shah wrote. "Now your generation will have to lead the country. Be prepared."
Five months later, the 35-year-old politician is leading the race to become prime minister after Nepal's first election since the uprising.
Shah entered politics in 2022 when he was elected mayor of Kathmandu. He is widely known as Balen.
Early vote counting trends from Nepal's Election Commission on Friday showed Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leading in around 100 seats, ahead of rival parties.
Final results from the election are expected within days. A total of 165 seats are decided through direct voting and 110 through proportional representation.
The Nepali Congress, which was in second place, has conceded defeat. Analysts say the RSP's lead means it will likely form the next government.
"Balen Shah is so popular that now buses coming to Kathmandu have stickers on them saying, 'Headed to Balen's city'," said Bipin Adhikari, a constitutional law expert who teaches at Kathmandu University.
If Shah becomes prime minister, it would mark a rise for a politician who first gained attention through rap music critical of the establishment and later entered public office.
It could also change Nepal's political landscape. The Himalayan country, located between China and India, has long been dominated by a small number of established parties.
'Not a cakewalk'
Some of Shah's support comes from his work as mayor of Kathmandu, where he focused on urban infrastructure including waste management and the delivery of services such as healthcare.
He has also faced criticism, including from Human Rights Watch, for allegedly using police to seize the properties of street vendors and landless people.
Shah resigned as mayor in January to contest the general election.
He did not respond to requests for an interview and questions sent by Reuters via email.
Unlike many politicians in Nepal, Shah largely avoids the mainstream press.
Instead, he communicates with supporters through social media, where he has more than 3.5 million followers on platforms including Facebook.
"What makes Balen special is that he stays connected with the youth through his short messages on social media, but it would not be a cakewalk for him after becoming prime minister," said independent political analyst Puranjan Acharya.
'Let me speak'
Shah was born to a father who practised traditional Ayurvedic medicine and a homemaker mother.
He developed an interest in poetry before moving into rap music, influenced by American artists including Tupac Shakur and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, according to an aide.
After completing an undergraduate degree in civil engineering in Nepal, he studied for a master's degree in structural engineering in southern India.
By that time, he had already become known as a rap artist in Nepal.
Many of his songs criticised Nepal's ruling class and connected with listeners in a country where about 20 per cent of the 30 million population live in poverty.
One of his songs, "Balidan", released in 2019, has more than 12 million views on YouTube.
Its lyrics read:
"Let me speak, sir, it is not a crime,
Let me open the mind, I am not a curse to the palace,
My mind is not bad, it is not afraid to speak the truth."
'WOOD ATTACKED BY TERMITES'
In December, Shah joined the RSP, led by former television host turned politician Rabi Lamichhane, as the party's prime ministerial candidate.
In its manifesto, the RSP has pledged to create 1.2 million jobs and reduce forced migration.
The party said it aims to raise Nepal's per capita income from $1,447 to $3,000, increase the country's economy to $100 billion GDP, and introduce safety nets including healthcare insurance for the entire population within five years.
Analysts say Shah's success at the national level will depend on the team he builds to reform Nepal's administrative system, which faces corruption issues.
"It needs a team, experts and support," Acharya said. "Under the existing state apparatus, he can't perform and he will be finished like wood attacked by termites."
(With inputs from agencies)
