Rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah secured a stunning victory in Jhapa-5 on Saturday. He polled 68,348 votes. Former prime minister KP Sharma Oli managed 18,734.
Shah’s margin stunned observers and became the highest individual tally in Nepal’s parliamentary polls since 1991. The contest ended one-sidedly.
Shah contested as the prime-ministerial candidate of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. The party has won 61 FPTP seats and leads in another 61 of 165 constituencies counted so far.
The RSP also commands strong leads under proportional representation. If trends persist, it could secure a supermajority in the 275-member House of Representatives.
Shah rose rapidly after winning the Kathmandu mayoralty as an independent in 2022. His populist style and direct critique of established parties appealed to younger voters.
The RSP’s surge reflects widespread public disenchantment with traditional outfits, including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the Maoist Centre.
Jhapa has long been a political battleground. Oli previously suffered defeat there in 2008 when the Maoists swept the polls.
Observers had questioned Shah’s decision to contest in Oli’s stronghold. The result now confirms a decisive overturn.
Political turbulence last year, including the Gen-Z movement that toppled Oli’s government, paved the way for early elections and an interim administration.
Shah allied with Rabi Lamichhane and the RSP months before polling. That strategy proved electorally potent.
Analysts say Shah now stands poised to lead the next government. He will face immediate challenges.
He must translate his popular mandate into stable governance. He must also build institutions and manage coalition dynamics should they arise.
For now, Shah’s triumph marks a generational shift. It signals voters’ appetite for new faces and a break from entrenched political elites.
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