Nepal to hold first election since deadly protests, with 3 rivals vying to become prime minister

Kathmandu, Nepal — A former rapper who ran as the mayor of Kathmandu. A young leader of Nepal’s oldest political party. And the communist veteran politician is hoping to return to power after being ousted last year in youth-led protests that killed dozens.

The three are the main contenders as Nepal heads into crucial nationwide elections, the first since protests led to the fall of former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli’s government in September.

Whoever prevails will become Nepal’s 16th prime minister in less than two decades, underscoring recurring political instability that has marked the Himalayan nation since the monarchy was abolished in 2008.

Protests in Nepal last year exposed youth frustration with corruption and a lack of opportunity in a country where nearly a fifth of young adults are unemployed, while the children of political elites enjoy luxurious lifestyles and numerous advantages.

After public outrage led to the government’s resignation, millions of Nepali voters are now gearing up to elect members of the House of Representatives, the powerful lower chamber of parliament. The next Prime Minister will be chosen after getting majority in the House.

Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, is seen in the forefront after emerging as a popular figure during the campaign. He was elected mayor of the capital Kathmandu in 2022 and later left the post to become the Rashtriya Swatantra Party’s candidate for prime minister.

The 35-year-old Shah trained as a structural engineer and later gained modest fame as a rap artist using his music to take on social issues and politics.

Dressed in his signature black attire and sunglasses, Shah tours the country, with supporters often lining up to greet him.

Riding a wave of public anger against traditional political parties, Shah won the Kathmandu mayoral race as an independent. He won praise for clearing out illegal vendors, tackling the city’s chronic garbage problem and pushing for road widening, but faced criticism for ordering the demolition of homes and properties without adequate planning or notice.

“Our agenda is that poor people with no money in their pockets should get full education. Poor people with empty pockets should get access to health facilities. That is our agenda,” he told his supporters in western Nepal last week.

Another contender is Gagan Thapa, the newly installed leader of the Nepali Congress, the country’s oldest major political party, the Liberal Democratic Party with close ties to neighboring India.

Long considered a popular face in the Nepali Congress, Thapa, 49, had stepped aside from the party’s senior leadership until earlier this year, when he was elected party chief in a revolt.

The Nepali Congress remains a populist party, but was part of the last coalition government that was forced out by a youth uprising in September. Youth-led protests were sparked by a social media ban before snowballing into a popular uprising against the government. Dozens were killed and hundreds injured when protesters stormed government buildings and police opened fire on them.

Thapa says his first priority is to rid Nepal of corruption and make the government fully accountable to the public within five years.

The other contender for the post is controversial but powerful communist leader Khadga Prasad Oli, who led the coalition government that was ousted from power last year. He is blamed by many for the deaths in the violent protests that led to his ouster.

Despite criticism over his handling of last year’s protests, Oli still enjoys support within the Communist Party and among many of its supporters.

Oli has consistently argued that stable policies and politics are essential for Nepal, warning that the economy needs stability to thrive.

Oli’s popularity peaked in 2015 when India faced an economic embargo that led to shortages of fuel, medicine and other essentials.

Nepal is situated between the Asian giants India and China, and both countries have shown keen interest in influencing their small neighborhood. Thapa’s party is traditionally closer to India while Oli’s Communist groups are more friendly to China.