The rise of a star and generational shift in Kathmandu

In neighboring Nepal, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), a relatively new political party, has secured a massive majority in the parliament's lower house elections held on the 5th of this month under the administration of interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki. It is now almost certain that RSP will form the new government. Nepal's parliamentary system consists of a 275-member lower house, where 165 seats are filled through direct elections in constituencies on first-past-the-post basis and 110 seats are allocated to parties based on proportional representation where votes are cast for parties. Although full official announcement is yet to come, the RSP has won 125 of the 165 direct seats and expects to gain at least 50 seats through proportional representation. Under the leadership of young leader Balendra Shah, the RSP is preparing to take over the administration. When the reins of power are handed over to 35-year-old Shah, it will also signal a generational shift in Nepal. The rise of “Balen,” who gained massive public support from the “Gen Z” youth protesters in September, comes at the expense of 74-year-old K.P. Sharma Oli, who has been in and out of power multiple times.

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Everyone is watching to see whether this election will bring political stability to Nepal's democratic system. Although several elections have been held in Nepal since it became a democratic republic in 2008, following two and a half centuries of monarchy, the nation has not yet been fortunate enough to see a stable government in power. After the multi-party system was restored in 1990, none of the major parties, the Nepali Congress led by Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) led by K.P. Sharma Oli, or the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), could establish a stable administration. The issue was not a lack of majority in the elections. In the 2017 elections, the alliance formed by the two Communist parties had secured a two-thirds majority. However, with the collapse of the alliance in 2021, Nepal once again drifted into political uncertainty. It was during this phase of administrative decline that Balen Shah emerged as a prominent figure in the political arena, contesting as an independent candidate in the 2022 Kathmandu mayoral election. The structural engineer, who also had a reputation as a popular rapper, , mot of his songs being against corruption and inequality, including lyrics such as, "It is time, fake leaders; the game is over, we will ring the bell on March 5th."

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In the forefront of the bloody September protests, which saw 75 deaths, were those under the age of 35, who make up 40 percent of Nepal's 30 million population. It was this strong public support, tallying with the aspirations of the September 2025 protests that led to the defeat of Oli, a four-time Prime Minister, by over 50,000 votes in his own stronghold. Earlier, as the mayor of the capital, Balendra Shah had earned wide acclaim - and some criticism - through his reforms. He gained substantial public approval through city cleaning initiatives, uncompromising action against illegal buildings, slum clearance, the preservation of heritage sites, and the development of civic amenities. Along with this came allegations of human rights violations and a reputation that Shah was against the poor. However, when the election arrived, he and the RSP received more than enough public support against the largely unsuccessful Oli.

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It is because he generated such hope that Shah became acceptable to the Gen Z protesters and the vast majority who supported them. The RSP has also promised to create 1.2 million jobs in the country to curb the mass migration of Nepalese people who are forced to go abroad for work. Their promises also include doubling the per capita income and GDP within five years, as well as expanding health insurance. What the people of Nepal now want to know is whether Balendra Shah, backed by public support, can ensure corruption-free development. If law and order, peace, and infrastructure development are achieved, the landscape of the Himalayan nation of Nepal is such that can claim a prominent position among world's tourist attractions. Home to eight of the world's ten tallest peaks, including Everest, Nepal has the potential to become a mountaineers' paradise. However, as a landlocked country, good relations with neighboring nations are also crucial. Being situated in land between India and China, Nepal's relationship with China is a matter that deserves India's attention in several aspects. Many things depend on the stability and good governance of the administration in Kathmandu. For the main economic sources, remittances from citizens working abroad, agriculture, and tourism, to continue without hindrance, healthy economic management and corruption-free systems have to be in place. The potential for this are by no means small for Nepal’s new young leadership. The future of this Himalayan neighbor depends on how far this potential is utilised in a pro-people model.