Two prominent political figures in Nepal have formed an alliance ahead of the March parliamentary elections, aiming to challenge the country’s longstanding parties that have dominated the Himalayan nation’s politics for over three decades, party officials and analysts said on Monday.
Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, a rapper-turned-Kathmandu mayor and widely recognised elected official, joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), or National Independent Party, led by former TV host-turned-politician Rabi Lamichhane on Sunday, party sources confirmed.
Under the agreement, 35-year-old Balen would assume the role of prime minister if the RSP wins the March 5 elections, while Lamichhane, 48, would retain his position as party chief.
Both leaders have pledged to address the concerns raised during the youth-led “Gen Z” protests in September, which were sparked by widespread corruption and resulted in 77 deaths, ultimately leading to the resignation of then-Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.
“It is a very smart and strategic move by the RSP to bring Balen and his young supporters into the fold,” political analyst Bipin Adhikari said. “Traditional political parties are worried about losing young voters to the RSP.”
Nepal’s election commission has said that nearly 19 million of the country’s 30 million citizens are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections, with close to one million new voters mostly youths added following the protests.
Balen, who gained prominence during the demonstrations, was considered an undeclared leader of the youth activists and also played a role in forming the interim government under former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, which will oversee the elections. Critics, however, have questioned his public visibility during the protests, noting that he primarily addressed supporters via social media.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), led by Oli, and the centrist Nepali Congress have alternated in power for decades and are now facing potential challenges from Balen and Lamichhane’s new alliance.
Lamichhane, who founded the RSP ahead of the 2022 elections, is known for his anti-corruption campaign during his time as a television host. He is currently out on bail over allegations of misusing funds collected by cooperatives from small depositors.
Prakash Sharan Mahat, spokesperson for the Nepali Congress, dismissed the alliance as unlikely to alter the political landscape significantly. “Both Balen and Lamichhane are controversial leaders, and I do not think their partnership will cause any upheaval. Voters are likely to choose experienced parties,” Mahat told Reuters.
